Singing Juices: A Tenipuri Musical
by Deltree
Summary: Inui and Kaidoh are having problems. Momo is secretly in love with Ryoma. Oishi won't acknowledge that his feelings for Eiji exist. All of this can be fixed when some of the Regulars start to express their innermost feelings in song.
1. The Opening Act

Title: Singing Juices: A Tenipuri Musical

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis does not belong to me. All songs belong to their respective owners. Some of them have been a little changed to better fit the story.

_Words_ singing

Summary: After drinking Inui's juice, Ryoma, Momo, Eiji, Kaidoh, and later Inui all begin to hallucinate hearing music and compulsively start singing. Needless to say, they're not happy with this, but it might help them with their relationship problems.

Author's Note: Ryoma's a freshman in high school (15-16 yrs). The rest of the boy's ages follow that. (Momo is 16-17, Eiji is 17-18). MomoRyo, Golden Pair, InuiKai, some TezuFuji. Also, this is just something I did for fun, so it's probably not gonna be that good. And I know so little about tennis I shouldn't even be doing this. Be warned.

* * *

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Chapter 1: The Opening Act

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"Echizen!"

The voice sounded like Momo and that was the only reason Ryoma looked up. Seeing the second year across the hall, grinning madly and waving a hand wildly in the air, Ryoma smirked, adjusted his grip on his tennis bag, and changed his course. "Momo-senpai," he greeted.

"Hey," Momo replied, shouldering his own bag and falling into step with him. "You going to practice?"

"Of course," Ryoma looked up at the taller boy slyly, "I'm gonna beat you Momo-senpai."

Things with Momo hadn't changed over the years. If anything, things between the two of them had gotten better. They'd always been close, but nowadays they were even closer. If Ryoma had a problem, Momo was the first one he'd go to. He was the one Ryoma went to when people were acting weird and he didn't understand the many social complexities that made up life. The one he went to when his father was too hard, or too annoying, to deal with. They could spend hours outside, just lying in the grass, not talking.

It was new, and somewhat strange, but Ryoma kind of liked it. It was . . . nice.

"Brat," Momo reached out to ruffle his hair, but Ryoma ducked out of the way. Momo let it go. "Just you wait," he warned seriously, "I think I have a new trick or two up my sleeve."

At this, Ryoma snorted, turning away as they made their way down the hallway to practice. "You're getting delusional in your old age."

"I'm only one year older than you!" Momo protested.

"Old man," Ryoma said mildly.

"Brat!"

Seemingly bored, Ryoma shot Momo a side-ways glance. "Is that the only thing you can come up with?"

"Why you—!" Momo sputtered, reaching out to grab him and missing when Ryoma ducked out of the way again.

Ryoma smirked up at him. "I hear it's your reflexes that are the first thing to go. Is that true?"

"I'm not old!" Momo insisted loudly.

"Bet you can't catch me, Momo-senpai."

"Oh I bet I can," Momo disagreed.

Ryoma just laughed at him, giving him one last look, before taking off.

"You little brat," Momo muttered before racing after him.

* * *

Kaidoh frowned, lost in thought as he walked down the hallway to practice. 

This week would mark two years that Inui and him had been together. He wanted to acknowledge it somehow, but wasn't sure. It seemed girly to put too much stock in anniversaries.

He almost couldn't imagine it though. Had it actually been that long? It seemed like just yesterday when Inui had taken him aside and started spouting probability after probability about approach tactics and acceptance rates while Kaidoh had stood there like a lump, completely lost. Inui had finally stopped talking long enough to kiss him and they'd been dating ever since.

It had started as a partnership of convenience, Kaidoh remembered, with Kaidoh being trained by Inui and Inui getting whatever he got out of it, but it had turned into something much bigger. Kaidoh didn't know _how_ it had happened but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He'd been happier this past two years than any other time in his life.

Sure, things in the last few months had seemed almost strained, but Inui had been busy. What with school, tennis practice, data collection, extra training, his juice, and the up-coming college entrance exams, Kaidoh was lucky to get any time with Inui at all. It was selfish of him to want more.

Kaidoh sighed and adjusted his grip on his tennis bag, continuing to walk down the hall alone.

"Kaidoh."

Startled, Kaidoh jumped, whipping around to find that at some time Inui had joined him. "Inui-senpai! How – how long have you been there?"

"I just arrived," Inui said with a small frown and adjusted his glasses. "Are you alright?"

Kaidoh hissed, annoyed with himself for his reaction. He should be used to Inui just appearing like that. "I'm fine."

"Good," Inui nodded and then got on to business. No more time for pleasantries. "Did you do the practices I set out for you last night?"

Kaidoh closed his eyes, irritated despite himself. "Yes, Inui-senpai."

"And how were they?"

"They were fine," Kaidoh said, reigning in his irritation, knowing that he should be thankful that Inui was taking time out of his busy schedule to help him train. That meant he cared, didn't it? "But I think I may have been over-extending a bit in my right arm."

"Is that so?" Inui asked, the small frown coming back. "Very well. How about I come over tonight after practice and help you?"

At this, Kaidoh ducked his head and hissed, embarrassed but already looking forward to it, "That'd be fine."

* * *

"Oishi!" Eiji whined. "Come with me!" 

Oishi frowned and tried to detach Eiji from his arm. "No, Eiji. I need to study."

"You can study there!" Eiji said, trying to get Oishi to see sense. He ignored the people around him, pointing at Oishi and him and whispering.

They always did that. It wasn't like he was blind or deaf. He knew what people were saying about them. He only didn't say anything because he kind of wished it was true. But Oishi didn't like him like that.

At least he didn't think Oishi did.

"With all those people?" Oishi asked, continuing before Eiji could answer, "No. I need quiet. I'm not like you, who can study anywhere you want and not be bothered. I'm going to the library."

"But the library is so _boring_." Eiji looked ready to cry.

"It's also _quiet_," Oishi said firmly.

"But Oishi!" Eiji whined again.

"_No_."

"Fine," Seeing that Oishi wasn't going to budge, Eiji let go of his arm with a huff and crossed his arms, turning away from the other boy. "Go to your stupid library."

"Eiji . . ." Oishi said, not wanting Eiji to be mad with him.

But Eiji wasn't going to be placated any time soon. He wanted to sulk. He wanted Oishi to go with him to the burger shop.

"Eiji, you know I can't," Oishi said, not willing to budge on this one thing. Then he got an idea. "I know. How about I make it up to you?"

Eiji turned slightly, looking at him out of the corner of his eye. "How?" he asked suspiciously.

"Ice cream? My treat. We can go tomorrow."

"Really?" Eiji turned back around excitedly and reattached himself to Oishi's arm, all forgiven. "Oishi's the best!"

Oishi smiled at his excitement, glad that Eiji was back to normal. "Come on," he said, nudging the other boy, "We need to get to practice."

"Hoi! What time is it?" Eiji grabbed Oishi's arm, turning it so he could read the watch. "You're right!" Detaching him himself from Oishi, Eiji hurriedly grabbed his tennis bag, throwing it over his shoulder, and grabbed Oishi's hand. "Come on!" he said, starting to drag Oishi along with him to the tennis courts, pushing his way through the crowd of people.

* * *

Sun burning in the sky, Ryoma absently wiped his face, shifting his grip on his tennis racket as he focused his attention on his opponent, Fuji. Just one more score and Fuji would win. 

For the last hour the team had been playing practice matches against each other, each fighting to dodge a loss and Inui's new juice. Ryoma was playing against Fuji, while Inui and Eiji faced off on the next court, and Momo and Kaidoh played doubles against Oishi and Tezuka. Their new coach, Nakayama-sensei, had recently taken to changing up the doubles pairs in an attempt to work on individual weaknesses.

For the most part, the Regulars hadn't changed much throughout the years. Now in high school, the largest changes were in height and Kawamura's decision to stop school in favor of mastering the sushi trade.

Most of the team had also come out of the closet, if only to the other Regulars.

Fuji had been first, coming out as bisexual when he had suddenly decided that he needed to seduce Tezuka in his first year of high school. A year later, Tezuka had finally given in. This new relationship had then prompted Inui and Kaidoh to come clean about their own, having been together for almost 4 months at the time. And, three months after that, Momo had privately confessed bisexuality to Ryoma, not wanting anyone else to know for some reason that most likely made sense only to Momo.

Nobody bothered to ask Eiji and Oishi. It was just too obvious.

Ryoma groaned. Fuji had hit a hard line drive to the far right corner that he had been unable to get to, meaning he'd lost the match. So now he had to drink that juice.

Accepting this, Ryoma straightened from his crouch and turned to walk toward the benches. He was apparently the last one there, Eiji, Momo, and Kaidoh (the other losers) already sitting on the bench, holding their stomachs, looking dizzy and faintly nauseous.

Well, at least they hadn't fainted. That was a good sign.

"Here," Inui said as soon as Ryoma arrived at the bench, handing him a glass of juice, this one a strange murky yellow-pink, fizzing slightly.

Ryoma made a face but downed the drink as quickly as he could to get the torture over with. He immediately choked and tried to spit out his own tongue to disconnect himself from his taste buds. This failing, the juice hit his stomach and he groaned miserably, bending over and clutching his stomach.

"Hmm, interesting," was all Inui said, the sadistic freak, taking a few notes on his behavior.

Nauseous, the world starting to tilt alarmingly, Ryoma nearly fell, taking two steps to the side quickly to keep him on his feet.

Seeing this, Momo scooted over to give him his seat and nearly fell over on his side when the world tilted around him at the movement. Putting a hand to his head, he pulled himself up and tried to hold still. "Oh wow."

Putting his head between his knees, hoping that would help, Eiji grunted in agreement. Kaidoh scowled at him, looking miserable and not amused.

Watching this, Tezuka nodded to himself and said succinctly, "Practice is over. Get to the locker room." And he turned to head in that direction himself, trusting that his orders would be followed. With one last amused smile at his suffering teammates, Fuji followed behind.

"Ugh," Eiji said emphatically, and tried to comply. Pulling himself up, being unsuccessful and falling back into his seat. He tried again and this time he was successful but stumbled, grabbing on to the first thing he could to keep his balance. This first thing, unfortunately, was Kaidoh, who had just struggled to his feet. This unbalancing him, Kaidoh stumbled and fell into Momo who almost fell into Ryoma. Just barely stopping himself in time, Momo threw out his hands to help him with his balance, almost hitting Kaidoh in the face.

Hitting the hand away, Kaidoh hissed, "Psshhhhhh. Watch it."

Momo glared back. "You watch it. You're the one who pushed me."

"I was falling."

"And you should have fallen."

The glaring intensified and Kaidoh hissed again. Attempting to stop the fight before it began, Oishi stepped between the two. "Why don't we all just go back to the locker room like Tezuka said?"

Still glaring, Momo and Kaidoh both mumbled an angry "Fine," turned away from each other, and began to walk towards the locker room.

Nearby there came the sound of a beat being played on a piano. It was loud and in their ears and Ryoma and Eiji looked around, but couldn't find its source.

Glancing at Momo angrily, Kaidoh began to sing to himself. "_What is this feeling? So sudden and new."_

Shocked, everyone stopped moving and turned to look at him. Inui frowned. A single beat played.

Giving Kaidoh a disgusted look, Momo added, _"I felt the moment I laid eyes on you" _

By now the beats were getting faster, but Kaidoh, apparently in a world of his own, ignored them. "_My pulse is rushing." _

Momo seeing that Kaidoh wasn't listening, rolled his eyes, immediately regretting doing so when he was hit by a wave of dizziness._ "My head is reeling."_

"_My face is flushing." _Kaidoh, finally noticing his audience, glanced over at Inui, Eiji, Oishi, and Ryoma with a blush.

"_What is this feeling?"_ Momo and Kaidoh looked down, seeming to be truly thinking this question over. Meanwhile, the piano in the background had graduated to an actual melody that seemed to strangely match what Momo and Kaidoh were singing. Eiji stuck a finger in his ear to see if maybe that would make it stop being so loud.

"_Fervent as a flaaame. Does it have a naaame?" _At this the two looked up at each other, and seemed to realize the answer. "_YeeeeeeeeeEEEEES" _

Taking a breath after this long and loud note, they glared at each other. "_Loa-thing." _There was a short pause. "_Un-a-dul-terated loa-thing."_

Moving closer to Momo, Kaidoh sang, _"For your face."_

"_Your voice," _Momo replied flatly.

"_Your clothing," _Kaidoh growl-sang, now almost in Momo's face.

"_Let's just say,"_ Glaring, they sang together, "_I loathe it all."_

They took a step back, and looked each other over with disdain. "_Every little trait how-e-ver small makes my very flesh begin to crawl with simple utter loa-thing."_

By now Ryoma had given up trying to understand why they were singing, how they had managed to set up the music to it, and how Momo had managed to get such a great voice so suddenly. Shocked and able to do nothing else, he stood with the Eiji, Oishi, and Inui and watched as the two rivals sang their hearts out. Thankfully, none of the other members of the tennis club seemed to have noticed. They were all busy with picking up the balls and packing up their rackets, getting ready to go home.

"_There's a strange exhilar-a-tion, in such total detest-a-tion. It's so pure, so stroooooong. Though I do admit it came on fast" _Momo and Kaidoh shrugged. "_Still I do believe that it can last. And I will be loaathing, loaathing, you my whoooooooole liiiiiiiiiiife long."(1)_

The music came to an abrupt stop and for a moment there was silence. Momo and Kaidoh didn't move, staring at each other with blank faces, not quite sure what to make of what had just happened.

Then Eiji started to clap. "Alright!" Jumping over to the two of them, he threw an arm around Momo. "That was great! I didn't know you could sing. Did you write that yourself?"

An extremely pale Kaidoh said nothing, too embarrassed to speak. Momo, still seeming to be in shock, mumbled, "I didn't know I could either."

Hearing this, Ryoma, always open to a chance to mock Momo and curious despite himself, cut in. "That's because you can't."

"Ochibi!" Eiji chided, "Don't be mean. He was really good."

"I'm not being mean. Momo-senpai has _never_ been able to keep a tune for his life."

"Well maybe he learned."

This seemed to wake Momo from his daze and he shook his head. "No, no, I didn't learn. I . . . I don't even know why I was singing. I've never even _heard_ that song before."

"Interesting . . ." Inui whipped out his notebook and began writing something down. "Is that true with you as well Kaidoh?"

Kaidoh said nothing, still frozen in embarrassment.

Hearing no reply, Inui looked up. "Kaidoh?"

There was still no response, so Eiji leaned over and poked him. "Is he dead?"

"Oh no," a worried Oishi rushed to Kaidoh's side and began to wave a hand in front of his face. "I think he's in shock."

Closing his notebook with a frown, Inui walked over to his boyfriend. Oishi moved to allow this, but stayed close by, hovering. "Kaidoh?" Inui shook him by the shoulder. "Kaidoh?"

Kaidoh blinked, but otherwise showed no response. Inui shook him harder. "Kaoru?"

Finally Kaidoh seemed to wake, shaking his head as though to clear it. When he stopped to see everybody looking at him, his blush returned a bit, but he was otherwise fine. Then, seeming to remember someone calling his name, he looked up at Inui. "Yes, senpai?"

"I was just asking if what Momo says is true with you as well. Have you ever heard the song that you just sang?"

Being reminded of the song brought a little more color to Kaidoh's face and he looked down again. "No."

Muttering an "interesting" under his breath, Inui walked away, writing in his notebook once more. Oishi moved a little closer and asked, "Are you okay? Do you need to lie down?"

Kaidoh shook his head and waved him off. "I'm fine, senpai"

By now Tezuka and Fuji were done in the lockers and had come back to see why none of the others had come inside.

"I said practice was over. Why are none of you in the locker room?" Tezuka stood with his arms crossed, face stern, Fuji at his side looking as amused as always.

Eiji bounced over to Fuji's side, explaining, "Kaidoh and Momo are entertaining us with a musical."

"We are not!" Momo shouted.

Eiji ignored him. "There was singing and music just like it. But now their saying that they've never even heard the song before and getting really freaked out. Kaidoh almost _died._"

Fuji smiled and looked at the supposed near-death victim. "Really?"

"Yep."

Inui looked up from his notebook again. "You heard music?"

Hearing this, Eiji gave Inui a strange look. "Yeah. Didn't you?"

"No," Inui said and adjusted his glasses with a contemplative frown.

Oishi looked confused. "I didn't hear any music either."

"But it was really loud and really close. How could you not have heard it?"

Now Oishi was looking at Eiji in concern. "Eiji, there wasn't any music."

"But I heard it!" Seeing that Oishi still didn't believe him, Eiji turned to Ryoma for help. "Ochibi, you heard it, didn't you?"

Ryoma nodded.

"And you heard it too, didn't you Momo? Kaidoh?" Eiji asked. "You guys were playing it on a radio, right?"

Still looking at his feet, Kaidoh shrugged uncomfortably, Momo adding, "I think I did, but I was kind of dazed the whole time. We definitely weren't playing a radio, though."

It was taken as agreement when Kaidoh continued to say nothing.

Reading over his notes, Inui tapped his pencil against his notebook, saying, "So all of those who drank my Super-Super Redux Double Edition Juice Version Pink heard music and two have spontaneously burst into song for no reason that they can gather."

"You don't think the juice did something to them, do you?" Oishi asked, worry increasing. To the side, Momo squawked, "Did something to them?" and Eiji whimpered, "I don't want something to be done to me."

Ignoring them, Inui pushed his glasses up his nose. "I don't know."

Ryoma snorted. "I think it's a little obvious that it did."

"Then we'll see how they are tomorrow," Tezuka said sternly, just wanting everyone to pack up and leave, "Right now everyone needs to go home."

"But," Oishi started then seemed to think better of it and turned to help guide a worried Eiji into the locker room. The others followed.

* * *

(1) half of the song "Loathing" from the musical _Wicked_


	2. On The Way Home

AN: Sorry for the crappy songs in this one. This is basically all three of the crappiest songs stuck together in one chapter. But they fit so I had to use them and I needed to get them out of the way. Please don't go away because of them. And I've had people ask about if I'm going to use the tenimyu musical songs but I don't think I will. It just doesn't exactly fit into what I'm trying to do here. Plus I don't know them.

Oh and definitely thank you to the people who reviewed. Thank you! I love reviews.

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Chapter #2: On the Way Home

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"God, that was freaky." Momo gave an exaggerated shudder, pushing his bike along beside him. "I definitely don't want to do that again any time soon."

Finally leaving the school grounds, Ryoma and he were casually walking to Momo's house to play video games. Usually they would go to the burger shop after practice, but Momo was a bit worried that he would burst into song again, not wanting to be embarrassed in the middle of a crowded, public place. The other Regulars had been bad enough.

Watching his feet, Ryoma shrugged, nonchalant, "It didn't seem so bad."

"Not so bad?!" Momo said, turning to Ryoma in shock, "I just burst randomly into song, a song I don't _know_, in front of _everyone,_ and I don't even know why! I couldn't even stop myself! It was like someone else was speaking through me or something! I was possessed! How is that not bad?!"

"You should just be glad that the juice improved your voice too. It would've been a lot more embarrassing if you were croaking like a dying toad the whole time like you usually do."

"Yeah. Thanks." Momo glared at Ryoma, annoyed. Some support. "Just you wait until it's your turn, then we'll see how much you like it." Then he seemed to consider this. "I don't think I've ever heard you sing before."

"And you never will." Ryoma finally looked up at Momo. "The juice has already stopped working."

"Yeah?" Suspicious, Momo frowned, looking down at him, "How do you know?"

"I'm not dizzy anymore."

"And how do you know that means it's not working?"

"Because it makes sense." The _duh _that followed this statement, while left unsaid, was heard loud and clear.

"Yeah, but since when has Inui-senpai made sense?" Momo replied.

Ryoma gave Momo a strange look. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well you know . . ." Momo shrugged, "Nothing about Inui-senpai makes sense, so nothing Inui-senpai makes will make sense."

Ryoma stared at him for a moment, as if that was the stupidest thing he had ever heard, and his words matched his look. "That's just stupid."

"No it's not! It makes perfect sense."

"In your head, maybe. And that's not a place I want to be."

"My head is perfectly _fine_."

"It's connected to _you._"

"Hey!" Momo protested loudly and Ryoma snickered. "Oh, not funny, Echizen," Momo said, settling down to glare at the younger boy. "Not funny."

Ryoma clearly didn't think so. "You should see your face."

"And that's not even remotely mature. I thought you were supposed to be some big freshman now, huh? But really you're just a little kid."

Ryoma smirked. "Better than an old man."

"I'm not old!"

Ryoma laughed at his vehement protests, smiling in amusement, and Momo smiled in return, feeling his irritation easily vanish. It was hard to stay mad at Ryoma when he smiled. Even if it was at Momo's expense. He didn't do it nearly often enough.

From somewhere a soft melody began to play, the soft tinkling of a piano in his ears, and Momo's smile turned down into a frown. Looking somewhat confused, he stopped walking and turned to scan the surrounding area for a radio. "Hey, do you hear that?" It sounded really close.

"No. What?" Smile still on his face, Ryoma looked up at Momo, expression turning almost fond.

The sound of the piano got louder. "That! C'mon you have to hear it." No answer, so Momo turned back to Ryoma, just then noticing his uncharacteristically fond expression. Because sure he liked it when Ryoma smiled but that was taking it a bit far. Momo started to look a little concerned. "Echizen?"

And that's when Ryoma began to sing. Softly. Gently. Totally against all personality traits. _"Yoou make me smile. Even the times I'm trying to be ser-i-ous." _

Oh shit, Momo thought, his eyes widening. Not here. Not in the middle of the street. "Echizen?"

"_You are possessing the qualityyyy mysteriiioooouu-oouus. A special styyyyle. You, you, you, you make meeee smiiiiile."_

"Hey, Echizen. Snap out of it." Balancing his bike with one hand, Momo waved his other hand frantically in front of Ryoma's face. Snapped his fingers. All Ryoma did was smile at him, looking genuinely happy. And now that expression was starting to freak him out a bit. "C'mon, man. Don't do this. Not here." Momo looked around nervously to see if anybody else had noticed. So far, no one had.

"_Yoou make me smile,"_ Ryoma sang. To Momo? Was he singing that to Momo? "_Even the times our future's looking gloom-i-er. Come through the door and then the room looks rooomiieeeeeeeer. And for a whiii-ii-iile. You, you, you, you make meee smiiiiile."_

And then something even freakier happened, which was hard to do. Voices started singing in his head. _"Together forever. My heart says forever. No one makes me feel like you do."_ Momo jerked in surprise and looked around for the source. No one was there. He blinked warily, beginning to become a little scared.

"_You make me smiiile," _Ryoma sang, apparently not hearing the voices.

"_When we're together I know it's forever 'cause nobody does what you do," _came from out of nowhere and Momo blinked again, deciding that, for the sake of his sanity, he would ignore the voices, and turned back to Ryoma. Who was still singing.

"_That's how I feeeeel boy," _Ryoma sang, _"Whenever I'm with yoo-oouuuu."_

"Echizen, come _on," _Momo begged.

Ryoma ignored him and kept right on singing. "_Yoou make me smile. We're never thinking that it could be so poss-i-ble. Now on the other hand it's highly probabaaaaaaaal. I'll staay awhi-i-iiile. 'Cause you, you, you, you make meee smiiiiile._

Then the phantom singers were back.Apparently they were Ryoma's back-up. _"Together forever. My heart says forever. No one makes me feel like you do."_

"_Yoou make me smiiiile," _Ryoma sang. And Momo needed to make it _stop._ People were going to start noticing soon. The man walking his dog across the street was already looking at them funny

"_When we're together I know it's forever 'cause nobody does what you do,"_ the phantom singers sang.

"_That's how I feeeeel boy. Whenever I'm with yoooo-ouuuuuu," _Ryoma sang.

And then it was the phantom singers again. _"Together forever. My heart says forever. No one makes me feel like you do."_

"No really. I mean it. Stop it," Momo begged, debating taking Ryoma by the shoulders and shaking him, but he needed one hand to hold up his bike. "You're freaking me out," he said instead.

Ryoma simply smiled happily, not even seeming to notice that he had spoken, and looked up at Momo adoringly._ "Yoou make me smiiiiile."_

"_When we're together I know it's forever 'cause nobody does what you do," _the phantom singers sang.

"_That's what you do to me, baby," _Ryoma sang and Momo's eyes grew even wider. He drew back to stare at his friend. Was Ryoma calling him _baby_?

"_Woah, woah, woah, woah,"_ the phantom singers sang in the background.

"Echizen, I'm not joking," ignoring the baby comment, Momo decided to try again, "Stop it," he ordered, "People can _see_ you." Maybe that would get through to him.

But Ryoma didn't seem to hear him and or even care that he was starting to draw attention. More people than the guy with the dog had noticed the boy singing the love song in the middle of the street and had stopped whatever they were doing to stare. Luckily there weren't that many of them. For Ryoma's sake, Momo prayed more wouldn't come.

"_All the things I seem to feel uptight aboooout ain't so devastating aaaafter aaaaall," _Ryoma sang. And was he getting louder? Maybe it just seemed like he was. Momo winced, looking around at Ryoma's audience. This was so embarrassing. "_This must be what life is all aboooout. Standing tall each time you take a faaaaaaall."_

"_Echizen,_" Momo begged, starting to lose hope. This couldn't last forever could it?

"_You. You. You make me smiiile,"_ the phantom back-up singers sang, "_You. You. You make me smiiile."_

"_That's how I feeeel boy. Whenever I'm with yoooo-ouuuuuuu-uuuu,"(1) _Ryoma drew out the last note for a long while before _finally_ ending his song and shutting his mouth with a snap.

Momo regarded him cautiously, just in case Ryoma was going to start singing again or flip out in any other major way. When it seemed like Ryoma was done, he asked, somewhat hesitantly, "Echizen?"

Not answering, Ryoma looked this way and that, noticing the people staring at them, and blushed as bright as his tennis racket. In his school uniform and with no hat to pull over his eyes, he quickly looked down at the ground, obviously trying to ignore everything.

Momo didn't want to make any sudden movements. "Are you back?"

A barely perceptible nod.

Momo nodded, still watching Ryoma carefully for any more out of character behavior. Making sure he didn't just bolt. "Good."

* * *

Watching his feet as he walked back home alone, Kaidoh scowled and shoved his hand in his pockets. Now that there seemed to be a problem with Inui's precious juice, Inui had bailed on their plans for the evening and so Kaidoh was training alone tonight.

Not that there was anything wrong with that. Inui needed to work on his juice and Kaidoh understood that. He wasn't some kind of clingy girl that needed to be the center of her boyfriend's life, doing everything with him, never having her own personality.

Kaidoh Kaoru was an individual. He didn't need Inui. He wanted him. There was a difference.

And he understood the need for working on the juice. He certainly didn't want to be doing anymore singing. That one time had been embarrassing enough. Kaidoh reddened just remembering it and ducked his head.

He wouldn't forget that feeling any time soon. Of being trapped behind the daze, knowing that he was singing, hearing the words, but being unable to do anything about it. Just having to go along with the words that were involuntarily spilling from his mouth. Kaidoh shuddered.

It just would've been _nice_ to spend some time with Inui for once. They hadn't been able to spend much time together in what felt like months. If it hadn't been one thing it had been another. Inui was always so busy.

Not that Kaidoh was complaining. Inui was a busy guy. Kaidoh had known that going into the relationship. Everything was fine.

So what if Inui was a little distant. So what if they never spent any time together. Kaidoh didn't need things like that. He was fine.

He just couldn't figure out why he was obsessing over it.

"_Blu-uee,"_ came out of his mouth before he realized it and his eyes stayed focused on his feet, "_I'm getting kind of close to yoou. Like a shadow I can't looose. Hee-e-ey. You've been hangin' with me everyda-ay. Now you're getting in my waqy. I know you understand me but don't you think that maaybe it's time to move oooooooon."_

Distantly realizing that he was beginning to sing, Kaidoh panicked and tried to fight back, but it was no use. His body wasn't his own anymore.

"_What's up lonely?" _he sang, _"Seems you're my only friend who wants to share my pain. Tell me heartache. What's it gonna take for you to leeave me aloone today? Just when I think that you're gone you're in the mirror looking back at meee. So what's up lonely?"_

He was just thankful that nobody was out on the streets to witness this and prayed that nobody would suddenly feel the need to take out the trash and come outside. But it didn't really matter. He kept on singing.

"_Sometiiimes I wish you weren't by my siiide. Can't you find another shoulder 'cause III-I-II - I want to leeave this broken heart behiiind. We're both wasting too much tiiiime. Find someone else to rain on I'm really getting tired of singing this sad sooooooong."_

He _really_ needed to stop before someone came out. This was so embarrassing. What the hell was he singing? Kaidoh felt himself turning red, but his body still took a breath and started right on singing again.

"_What's up lonely?" _he sang and looked up from his feet to observe his surroundings, _"Seems you're my only friend who wants to share my pain. Tell me heartache. What's it gonna take for you to leeave me aloone today? Just when I think that you're gone you're in the mirror looking back at meee. So what's up lonely?"_

Why was he singing about being lonely anyways? Hell, why was he singing at all? What had provoked it? Before it had been Momoshiro, but Momo wasn't there to be an idiot.

"_Don't want to give you a reason to hang around anymoooore_. _You won't be hurting my feeliiings if you find another brooken heart you can leean ooooo-oo-o-oon,"_ A car drove past, one little kid pasted to the window, staring at him, and Kaidoh cringed inside. Still there was a pause and he took a breath, before singing, much louder_, "Gotta go. Gotta move on. Gotta go. Gotta move on. Just leeave me alooooo-oo-oone."_

He'd been thinking about Inui and how he didn't care that he would have to train alone again. Did that have something to do with it or was this just random? It didn't seem random.

"_What's up lonely?" _he sang, _"Seems you're my only friend who wants to share my pain. Tell me heartache. What's it gonna take for you to leeave me alooone today? Just when I think that you're gone you're in the mirror looking back at meee. So what's up lonely?"(2)_

Music he hadn't noticed playing slowly teetered out and Kaidoh was back to himself again. He did another quick check to make sure that nobody had seen him besides that one kid. Nobody was there.

"Pshhhhhhhh," he hissed in relief, face bright red, and looked down at his feet again. Embarrassed, he upped his casual pace. Trying to get home quickly before anything like that could happen again.

What the _hell_ had he been singing?

He didn't think it had been random chance that he had begun to sing that particular song. That wouldn't make any sense. Why would he suddenly start to sing something like _that_ randomly? He wasn't a girl.

But if it wasn't random then what did that mean? Kaidoh quickly re-played the song in his head. He had heard himself perfectly well, painfully well, and it seemed he had been asking for the loneliness to go away.

What loneliness? Was he saying that he was lonely?

He would admit that something seemed to be missing from his relationship with Inui lately. Something major that all the other relationships he'd ever seen seemed to have. But so what? That didn't mean he was lonely. He was used to being alone.

So what?

It must've been a mistake.

* * *

Later, when they were at his house and in his room away from all of the people on the street, Momo tried to make Ryoma feel better. "You have a really nice voice."

Having kept his attention on the ground and his feet the whole rest of the way there, Ryoma's eyes snapped up and _glared. _"I do _not_ have a nice voice because it never _happened_."

"Echizen," Momo said almost gently as he sat on his bed and regarded the standing boy, "The whole street saw it happen."

But Ryoma was adamant. "There was no street. We were never there. We were at school and then we were here. There was no in-between."

Momo blinked, unable to believe that Ryoma was using _that_ defense. "Echizen. We didn't just teleport here."

"Yes. Yes we did." Staring at him hard, Ryoma tried to make Momo admit this with the force of his gaze.

But Momo was immune to the gaze. "That's not even possible."

"It's possible because I say it's possible."

"That doesn't even make sense."

Ryoma clenched his hands into fists at his sides, getting fed up with Momo's logic. "I don't care! It's what happened."

Momo shifted on his bed and decided to try a different tactic. "Look. It's not like you're the only one it happened to. I sang too, remember?"

"Yeah, but _your_ song was at the clubhouse with the others and not alone. It was funny, not—" Ryoma made a frustrated gesture, not willing to say anymore, and began to pace the small bedroom.

But Momo knew what he meant and grinned. "Not a sappy love song." Unable to stop himself, he laughed. "I gotta say, Echizen. I never knew you felt that way about me."

"I don't!" Ryoma said forcefully, stopping his pacing to glare at him, "I think you're annoying. You don't make me smile at all."

"That's not what the song said," Momo sing-songed.

And Ryoma clearly didn't like this. "Stop that! It's not funny." If Ryoma were a little more childish he would be stomping his foot and pouting, but he wasn't.

Momo cleared his throat and tried to settle down. "You're right," he said as seriously as he could, "It's not."

Ryoma glared at him for a moment, making sure that he wasn't about to burst out laughing. And in the silence, staring at his best friend's serious face, Momo's brain flashed back to an adoring expression and the words _"That's what you do to me, baby,"_ and he chuckled, tried to smother it, couldn't, and burst out laughing again.

"Stop it!" But Momo didn't stop and Ryoma made a disgusted sound. "Ugh, fine. Don't stop. Laugh to death for all I care. I'm leaving." And he turned to do just that, throwing the bedroom door open and storming out.

"No. Wait!" Momo hurried to catch up, stumbling but catching himself, and raced out the door to catch Ryoma quickly making his way down the stairs. "What about the video games?!" he called down.

"Play them by yourself," Ryoma answered and the door shut decisively behind him.

And, unable to stop himself, Momo fell into giggles right there, leaning against the railing, looking down at his front entranceway. And didn't stop for some time because, now away from the scariness of Ryoma acting so weirdly, that song had actually been pretty damn funny.

To think, Ryoma, Mr. Aloof and Arrogant, had sung something that sappy. And about Momo!

Momo laughed.

Not that it wouldn't have been nice if Ryoma had actually meant it. Momo could definitely stand being the reason Ryoma smiled. Had actually dreamt of it. Aspired for it.

But that would never happen.

Giggles eventually dissolving to nothing, disappearing as this reminder hit him for not the first time; Momo leaned his head against the railing and frowned.

It was almost funny in a heart wrenching kind of way to even imagine Ryoma liking him like that. Momo wasn't that lucky.

Here, Ryoma was this amazing kid, smart and talented, and Momo was just . . . Momo. Big and kind of stupid.

Suddenly depressed, Momo closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he tried to will the depression down. Depression successfully squelched for the moment, he opened his eyes and pushed away from the railing, turning to go back into his bedroom. Going immediately for his dresser, he knew it was a bad idea but he needed to see. He reached inside the top drawer and pulled out the picture he kept of Ryoma and him, hidden under a few of his shirts. Staring at it for a moment, he softly ran his thumb over Ryoma's image.

Yeah. It would've been nice.

Distantly Momo noticed the sound of a soft piano melody beginning to play in his ears for the second time that hour but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the picture and what he could never have.

And softly, slowly, he began to sing._ "Remember when we never needed each other. The best of friends like," _Momo's lips quirked into a small smile, _"sister and brother. We understood we'd never be alone."_ Momo gently put the picture back in its spot in his dresser, covering it up with one of his shirts. Wouldn't be good if his parents saw that. They might suspect.

Distantly, he realized that he was singing again, but he didn't really mind in the privacy of his own bedroom and so he just let the words flow, not even trying to stop himself as his body was hijacked.

"_Those days are gone," _he sang softly, patting the shirt down to cover up all tracks, _"and now I want you so much. The night is long and I need your touch. Don't know what to say. Never meant to feel this way. Don't wanna be alone toniiiight."_

His small smile disappeared and he frowned as he closed his dresser drawer softly.

"_What can I do to make you mine?" _he sang, "_Falling so hard, so fast, this time. What did I say? What diiid you do? How did I fall in love with you?"_

He'd tried to figure out how this had happened but honestly had no clue. Ryoma was good-looking, yes. Beautiful even, for a guy. And he was far from being a bad person. He was his best friend. But Momo had always imagined he'd fall for someone like Tachibana An not . . . whatever Ryoma was.

"_I hear your voice and I start to tremble," _Sad but true. Why was he so pathetic? _"Brings back the child that I resemble. I cannot pretend that we can still be friends. Don't wanna be alone toniiiight."_

Plopping down on the edge of his bed, Momo put his head in his hands, the weight of his unrequited love suddenly weighing him down heavily._  
"What can I do to make you mine?" _he sang, knowing it could never happen,_ "Falling so hard, so fast, this time. What did I say? What diiid you do? How did I fall in love with you?"_

He laughed suddenly and looked up; imagining Ryoma was still in the room with him. Pretending he was telling Ryoma the truth.

"_Oh I want to say this right," _he sang to the Ryoma in his mind,_ "and it has to be tonight. Just need you to know, oh yeah. I don't wanna live this life. I don't wanna say goodbye. With you I wanna spend the rest of my LIIIIIIIIFE." _His voice got loud on that last note, nearly shouting it, and he knew that his parents had to of heard, but he hoped they wouldn't come investigate.

Going back to singing gently, he reached out for the imaginary Ryoma. _"What can I do to make you mine? Falling so hard, so fast, this time. What did I say? What diiid you do? How did I fall in love with you?"_

Ryoma disappeared from the room and he was alone. Letting his hand drop, Momo looked back down at his lap and lamented his situation.

"_What can I do to make you mine? Falling so hard, so fast, this time. Everything's changed. We never knew. How did I fall in love with you?"(3)_

He'd never know.

* * *

(1) "You Make Me Smile" by Jennifer Love Hewitt

(2) "What's Up Lonely?" by Kelly Clarkson

(3) "How Did I Fall in Love With You?" by the Backstreet Boys


	3. That Next Day

* * *

-

Chapter #3: That Next Day

-

The next day, Momo had to wait until everybody was changing for morning practice before he could ask his question. "So did anybody else burst into song again last night or were me and Echizen just special?" Taking his shoes from out of his locker, Momo turned around and began putting them on, not really paying attention to who he was asking.

"Ochibi sang?" Eiji asked excitedly.

Looking up at the question, Momo grinned and nodded. Then he pulled his shoelaces tight and stood up, ready to go.

Ryoma pulled his shirt over his head and turned around to face them, apparently curious and going to ignore the fact that Momo had just announced his embarrassment for all to hear. As long as Momo didn't tell them _what_ he sang about "I don't remember that. When did you sing?"

And suddenly Momo wished he hadn't said anything. Or at least had left out the part where _he_ sang. It hadn't crossed his mind till then that Ryoma would ask questions if told. "It was after you left," he said uneasily, hoping Ryoma wouldn't ask any more questions.

But, of course, Ryoma asked more questions. "What'd you sing about?"

"My socks," Momo lied nervously. Ryoma could _not_ find out. "What do you think?"

Ryoma ignored the lie and guessed with a smirk, "Something embarrassing."

"_No_," Momo denied, trying to sound indignant, "It was about my socks. About how fluffy and comfy they were. You know – socks. The things on your feet." Ryoma's smirk was getting wider at the babble and Momo hurriedly turned back to the others, desperate for a change of topic. "_Sooo_ . . . did anybody else sing?"

"Yes." Already ready for practice and just waiting for the others, Inui adjusted his glasses. "I'm curious about that as well."

Kaidoh was pointedly _not_ looking at anybody, keeping his back to them and busying himself with something in his tennis bag.

Inui, of course, noticed this. "Kaidoh?"

Kaidoh stiffened and paused in his search for the ever elusive something, but didn't turn. "Yes, senpai?"

"I take it by your silence that you sang again as well?"

A pause, then, quieter than before, "Yes, senpai." Momo would've made fun of his shy response, and probable blush, but he was a little too busy trying to avoid Ryoma's amused gaze by looking anywhere but at him. Like at that wall. That was an interesting wall. All plain white and wall-ish. He was going to stare at it for awhile.

"No fair!" Eiji complained, throwing his hands up dramatically, "Everybody's sang except for me!" Crossing his arms, he began to pout.

Oishi tried to reassure him, patting him on the shoulder. "I'm sure you'll have your turn."

"You'd think you'd be glad," Ryoma said dryly, finally turning away from Momo, and Momo let out a sigh of relief.

Fuji chuckled at Eiji's complaints but turned to Inui. "Have you discovered the reason behind this?"

Inui nodded. "Yes. I've separated the ingredients of my Super-Super Redux Double Edition Juice Version Pink and have discovered that when mixed together in this certain fashion the ingredients act together as a type of mass hallucinogen and stimulate the brain to produce a small compulsion—that would be why you have talked of "hearing music" and what brings on the strange need for you to sing your innermost feelings."

Catching that phrase, Eiji looked up, blinking cutely. "Innermost feelings?"

"Yes. The drug cannot create something that is not already there so it acts on emotion to create the so-called songs you are singing."

Everyone missed the sight of Kaidoh's back tensing up again, a sock clenched tightly in his fist. Then that meant that . . . he really was lonely? Then what . . .

"It won't hurt them, will it?" Oishi asked worriedly.

Inui shook his head. "Not that I can tell. The effects seem to be limited to the ones we have already seen."

"And is there a cure?" Ryoma asked impatiently. He didn't want to sing _ever_ again. That had been too embarrassing. And it was just what he needed to end up singing in front of his dad. He'd never live it down.

"Not at the moment, no. Though I do believe that with time the effects will dwindle down to nothing on their own."

"Oh, come on, Ochibi," Eiji said, "I think it's fun!"

Ryoma gave him a disgruntled look. "That's because you haven't sang yet."

"I will though." Eiji looked determined.

"And these songs are what we actually feel?" Momo asked redundantly, just needing to make sure. He hadn't heard any of the questions past that one, stuck dumbly on the implications. Because if these songs were what they really felt then that meant . . .

"Yes," Inui said simply, nodding again.

And, slowly, Momo began to grin. "Then that means . . ." He turned suddenly, jabbing a finger in Ryoma's direction triumphantly, "I _knew_ you loved me!"

Eiji blinked. "Hoi?"

"Momo . . ." Oishi began, starting to warn him before he could say anything more.

Too excited to hear, Momo ignored Oishi, turning to Eiji, "His song! He sang—

"Momo-senpai, if you finish that sentence, I will not be responsible for what I do," Ryoma all but growled, "You brought it on yourself."

Eiji turned to the boy, shocked by the venom. "Ochibi!"

Fuji chuckled. "Now Echizen, is that any way to treat a senpai?"

But Momo stopped, beginning to look uncertain. "Um . . ." Slowly, his finger lowered and he turned back to the first-year, just then realizing that Ryoma probably didn't want that particular song shared with the others. "Echizen, I wasn't . . ."

"You weren't what?" Ryoma glared.

"Um . . ." Momo faltered, staring nervously at Ryoma, not knowing what to say. He looked to the others for help, but got nothing.

Thankfully Tezuka came in at that moment, saving him from doing anything else. "What are you all doing in here?" Tezuka asked, glaring at the whole group, "Get out on the courts. It's time for practice."

Momo breathed another sigh of relief and chorused with the others, "Right!"

* * *

Later, during the break, Momo tried to get Ryoma to talk to him again but Ryoma was more than a little pissed that Momo had almost blurted out what he had sung yesterday.

"Echizen, come on," Momo tried.

Ryoma crossed his arms over his chest and turned away from the other boy. "No."

Momo moved to be in Ryoma's line of sight. "Echizen."

Ryoma looked the other way. "No, Momo-senpai."

"I didn't mean to. You know I didn't mean to."

"I don't care," Ryoma said, stubbornly holding onto his anger, "Go away."

"But Echizen!"

"No."

Watching them from a few feet away, Fuji chuckled softly.

"How long do you think Ochibi can keep this up?" Eiji asked, amused by his teammate's usual arguing.

"He'll be eating out of Momo's wallet by the end of the day," Fuji predicted.

Eiji snickered. "Poor Momo."

"Yes," Fuji agreed, smile on his face, and the two watched as Momo tried yet again to get Ryoma to listen to him, his attempt only resulting in Ryoma walking away. Momo followed and Ryoma walked away again. This repeated over and over and the two weaved in and out of the mingling Regulars, arguing all the way. Fuji sighed. "Unrequited love can be so tiring to watch." There sounded like there could be a hint in there, but Eiji steadfastly refused to acknowledge it.

"Yeah, but nobody knows if Ochibi goes that way," Eiji pointed out instead, "He's so young."

"He's fifteen," Fuji said and turned to Eiji, "Do you remember when you were fifteen? All those boys . . . Oishi . . ." he trailed off leadingly, the dirty implications hanging in the air.

Eiji's face flushed. "Fuji!" He shot a quick nervous glance over at where Oishi was talking with Tezuka, making sure he hadn't heard. Then, leaning in so as not to be overheard, whispered furiously, "Don't say things like that!"

Fuji merely smiled serenely, happy that he had gotten a reaction

"And _anyways_," Eiji continued, "You know things aren't like that with me and Oishi. He doesn't like me like that."

"Are you so sure?" That sounded like Fuji knew something, but there was no way.

Eiji nodded glumly. "Yeah. I tried flirting. He didn't even notice."

"That could simply be because you are usually such an affectionate person. Maybe he thought that you were merely acting true to form."

Eiji looked up, feeling hope beginning to rise. "You think? You think he likes me?"

"I know he does. Who couldn't? You're so cute." Reaching out, Fuji gently tugged on a lock of red hair and smiled.

"Nya," Eiji said, excited, "Do you think I should try again then? We're going out for ice cream today, I could— he stopped. What could he do? "I don't know!" he freaked and turned to Fuji, "What do I do?! Tell me!" Eiji hung on Fuji's arm and begged.

Fuji laughed at his antics.

"_Fujiiiiiii_ . . ." Eiji whined, wanting to be helped not laughed at.

"Relax. Don't worry. I'll help you."

"Yeah!" Eiji jumped up and threw his arms around the other boy in a spontaneous hug. "You're the best!" Fuji smiled and returned the hug half-way, patting him on the back. And in the background, Eiji thought he heard music playing. It sounded a lot like yesterday when Kaidoh and Momo had sung for them, but maybe one of the second-years had simply decided to try out practicing to a beat. Nakayama-sensei wouldn't like that.

Letting go of Fuji, he looked around curiously. There was no radio, but Momo and Ryoma seemed to have made up and were a good few feet away, Ryoma looking around almost nervously and Momo with a large grin on his face. Obviously they heard the music too.

"Eiji?" Fuji asked, obviously wondering what Eiji was looking for.

"Do you hear that?" Eiji asked.

"Hear what?"

"That music. You don't hear it?" Eiji turned back to him and Fuji shook his head. "Really?!" Eiji asked, starting to get excited. He could guess what that meant. "Do you think I'm going to start singing then? Everybody else has and it's not fair that I haven't."

"_Oh well uh you might think I'm crazy to hang around with you."_ Even from this far away they could hear Momo beginning to sing.

Fuji chuckled when Eiji immediately looked crestfallen. "I think it's safe to say that no. You won't."

"_Or maybe you think I'm lucky to have something to do," _Momo sang on and, realizing that this could be just as good, Eiji perked up. He turned to Fuji and whispered conspiratorially, "Let's get closer." Smiling, Fuji nodded and the two casually made their way over to where Ryoma and Momo stood. Ryoma turned to glare at the two, protectively angry about them witnessing Momo's embarrassment, but otherwise kept his attention focused on Momo and what he was singing. He was singing rather loudly too, so all of the other Regulars were soon paying close attention. Oishi seemed like he wanted to do something to help Momo but couldn't quite figure out what he _could_ do.

Momo, meanwhile, still had that wide grin on his face and was looking at Ryoma almost adoringly. A little more open about his feelings than Eiji had ever seen him. _"But I think that you're wild. Inside me is some child."_

Hearing this, Eiji snickered. That was true.

"_You might think I'm foolish,"_ Momo sang but then seemed to reconsider and shrugged, _"Or maybe it's untrue. You might think I'm crazy but all I want is you."_

It took a second for that to hit and when it did Ryoma's eyes grew wide and he took a step back.Eiji could almost see Ryoma's thought process—Inui said that the songs were their innermost feelings. Then that meant . . .

"Oh my . . ." Fuji murmured with a smile, looking amused.

"_You might think it's hysterical but I know when you're weak," _Momo sang on obliviously, _"You think you're in the movies. Everything's so deep."_

Eiji didn't know how true that last statement was, but maybe he just didn't know Ryoma well enough. Ryoma had always seemed pretty down to earth to him.

"_But I think that you're wild when you flash that cocky ole smile," _Momo sang, and now Ryoma was staring up at him, his eyes wide in shock and obviously unsure of just how to react. _"You might think it's foolish – what ya put me through. You might think I'm crazy. All I want is you."_ Hearing this again, Ryoma sucked in a sharp breath.

Eiji heard the music slow and Momo grabbed Ryoma's hands and pulled the shocked boy closer, looking dramatically solemn._ "And it's hard_," he sang, covering Ryoma's hands with his larger ones, "_So hard to take. There's no escape, without a scream._" The music changed and a beat played as Momo's solemn expression changed into a smirk. "_But you kept it going 'til the sun fell down," _Another beat played and Momo pulled Ryoma even closer, _"You kept it –_ lowering his head so that he was singing in Ryoma's ear_, "going." _

That was the first flirty move on Ryoma that Eiji had ever seen Momo make and such a big step obviously needed to be cheered for. "Wooo!" he cheered, waving a hand in the air, "Go Momo!"

Ryoma blushed but didn't move as Momo sang in his ear and Momo laughed, putting an arm around the freshman and pulling him into his side. The music picked up again and Momo was back to smiling, "_Oh well uh you might think I'm delirious the way I run you down. But somewhere sometimes when you're curious," _Momo leered suggestively. "_I'll be back around." _Hearing the perverted undertones, Ryoma's eyes widened again and he started to struggle in Momo's hold. Momo laughed again and gave him some space, but still held on to one hand so that Ryoma couldn't move too far away, "_Oh I think that you're wild,_" he sang, "_and so-o uniquely styled._" One hand still holding on to his, Ryoma got nearly an arms length away before Momo spun him around and pulled him closer again. Dizzy from the spin, Ryoma blinked dazedly

"_You might think it's foolish, this chancy rendezvous," _Momo sang, holding Ryoma to his chest and looking down at the boy adoringly, "_You might think I'm crazy. All I want is you, Oh-oh all I want is you." _He drew back from Ryoma to look deeply into his eyes. "_All I want is _you," _(1) _he stressed, seeming to want to make sure Ryoma got that, and then fell silent, the music fading away in the background.

"Um . . ." Momo said as the past few minutes caught up with him, turning bright red. Slowly, he pulled his arm from around Ryoma's shoulders, watching Ryoma watch him.

From the side, Fuji started to clap, almost mockingly to Momo's ears. But Momo ignored him, unable to tear his eyes away from Ryoma and his reaction.

"Echizen . . ." he tried when he could find his voice. But he didn't have anything to say after that.

"You . . ." Ryoma said, staring up at Momo with wide, wary, eyes. "You _want_ me?" he asked, voice showing just how confused he really was.

Momo didn't know what to say. He'd never meant to actually tell Ryoma, planning to take that secret with him to his grave. But he wasn't about to lie to the boy. "Um . . . yes?"

"What . . . what does that even _mean_?"

"Um . . ." Momo was all too aware of the others at his back, watching this whole thing. He wished they were doing this somewhere where the other Regulars weren't. This was way too public. "Why don't we talk about this in the locker room?" he suggested instead of answering. And he was about to take Ryoma by the wrist, because it didn't look like the boy would be moving on his own any time soon, and lead him there when Tezuka spoke up.

"No," Tezuka said firmly from his spot by the benches, "Break is over. You can talk about this later."

Momo couldn't believe this. "But Buchou!"

Tezuka frowned at the insubordination. "10 laps."

"But – but—" Momo sputtered. He couldn't just _leave_ it like this. Not with Ryoma looking so confused and lost.

"20," Tezuka said.

"But—

"It doesn't matter," Ryoma said, seeming to come back to himself and shaking off the vulnerability.

Turning to him in shock, Momo started to ask, "Wha— but Ryoma just pushed past him, pulling the brim of his hat lower and avoiding all eye-contact. "But Echizen!" Momo protested.

Ryoma stopped but didn't turn to look at him. "You don't want to get Tezuka-buchou mad. Come on."

It seemed like Ryoma had decided to ignore the past few minutes completely. That hurt. Rejection.

Momo took a deep breath and let it out, hoping the sting would pass. He tried to remind himself that he'd known this would happen. Struggling, he succeeded in pasting a forced smile on his face. "Alright." And he turned to make his way onto the courts to run his laps.

* * *

Morning practice let out, they went to school, they had lunch, they went to afternoon practice, and Ryoma took to avoiding Momo. Whenever Momo would try to approach Ryoma would duck his head and walk the other way. At lunch Ryoma ate on the roof instead of their normal spot under the tree. At practice Ryoma played against Kaidoh and ignored any attempts at conversation. And all through this, Momo smiled, accepting each brush-off gracefully.

But Oishi had seen how much it hurt, catching the barely there moments when the smile would break or when Momo was distracted from his game. And now Oishi was out getting ice cream with Eiji, something he usually enjoyed but couldn't today. One of his teammates had been hurt and another was lost and confused. That did not make for a happy Oishi.

Noticing this, Eiji poked him and he looked up. "What's wrong?" Eiji asked. The two of them were seated on a bench outside of their usual ice cream place, each with a cone in hand though only Eiji seemed to be enjoying his.

Oishi sighed and gave his ice cream cone a lick. It was starting to melt. "I'm worried about Momo. He must be hurting after what happened today."

"Maybe he and Ochibi will talk and everything will be fine," Eiji tried to reassure him, "You never know."

"Yeah, but still. I can't believe that had to happen right in the middle of practice. With everyone watching. And then to get rejected . . ." Oishi trailed off, unable to imagine what that would feel like.

"Maybe Ochibi just doesn't like public declarations of love," Eiji said, then seemed to consider his words, "Not that Momo really said he was in love with him or anything. Just that he wanted him." Looking down at his own ice cream cone, Eiji looked frustrated, "He was so _close_ though."

Oishi absently turned his ice cream cone around in his hand, stared at it, and tried to think positively. "Maybe it's for the best. You know Momo doesn't want anyone to know he's gay. He won't even tell _us_."

Having gone back to his ice cream, Eiji broke away from his cone long enough to say, "But it's completely obvious."

Oishi sighed and nodded. "Yeah . . ."

"And after today it doesn't really matter what he wants," Eiji continued, "Everybody knows. Not that they didn't know already."

Realizing this, Oishi couldn't help but feel even sorrier for the boy. "Poor Momo . . ." To think, not only had he been rejected, but the secret he'd tried so hard to keep was now common knowledge. Thank God only the Regulars had been paying attention when that song had started. Nodding to himself, Oishi looked up at Eiji, suddenly determined "We should help him."

His ice cream beginning to melt, Eiji was busy trying to lick his cone clean before it ran down his fingers and asked through the cone, "Haa?"

Mentally translating that, Oishi frowned. "I don't really know."

Getting the last of it, Eiji gave his ice cream cone one more lick before turning to Oishi. "Maybe we should ask Fuji."

Oishi looked scared at that idea and suddenly changed his mind. "Or maybe we should just let them figure it out themselves."

"Yeah," Eiji agreed slowly, seeming to remember what Fuji was like as he looked off into the distance. "Fuji is scary." He turned to Oishi. "Do you remember the time he—

"Yes," Oishi cut in, not wanting to remember that particular time.

"What do you think he was thinking when he did that?" Eiji asked curiously. As though anyone could actually understand the inner workings of Fuji's mind.

"I have no idea." He did actually have a bit of a clue. As far as he could tell it had been a rather elaborate plan to get him and Eiji together. It had not turned out good.

"I think he was trying to get us together," Eiji said matter-of-factly.

Oishi's eyes widened and he turned to stare at Eiji in fright. Eiji wasn't supposed to know that. "T – together?" he stuttered, "Why would – why would you think that?"

Eiji shrugged casually, turning back to his ice cream and biting into the cone. "Just something he said."

And now Oishi was _really_ getting nervous, forgetting about his ice cream completely. "W – what did he say?"

"He said that you liked me."

Oishi choked. "_What?_"

"He said that you liked me," Eiji repeated, munching on the rest of his cone. "Is he right?" Nervous, unable to believe he had actually asked that, Eiji looked at Oishi from the corner of his eye.

"I . . . well I- I -" Oishi didn't know what to say to that. He wanted to deny everything but that would be wrong.

Hearing this, Eiji turned to him fully, a grin growing on his face. "It's true!"

"No!" Oishi denied and then hated himself. But he couldn't let Eiji think it was true. Then he'd want to get together and Oishi couldn't do that. He wanted to just stay friends.

But Eiji ignored him, already knowing the truth. "It's true!"

"Eiji! Not so loud!" People were beginning to look their way.

"It's no use denying it," Eiji told him, unable to stop smiling. "Everybody already thinks it."

Did they? Oishi had heard something like that but had refused to believe it. "No they don't," he insisted.

Eiji smiled and seemed to disagree, but instead of saying anything his mouth opened and he began to sing. _"People are talking, talking 'bout people." _And Oishi felt his eyes go wide for a different reason. The singing!

Eiji hadn't sung before so they hadn't been too worried about being in public but maybe they should have. They were in the middle of a crowded public street. This was not the place for Eiji to break into song.

"_I hear them whisper," _Eiji continued,_ "You won't believe iiit. They think we're lovers kept under coveeers. I just ignore it, but they keep saying we laugh just a little too loud. We staaand just a little too close," _Eiji grinned and moved closer on the bench. Holding himself stiff, Oishi stared at the small amount of space now between them. "_We staaare just a little too loooong," _Eiji sang, leaning his head against Oishi's shoulder and looking up into his eyes._ "Maybe they're seeing something we don't, darlin'."_

Nervously looking away from Eiji, Oishi scanned the area, noticing all the people that were watching them. They needed to get out of here. Throwing away his ice cream and grabbing Eiji by the arm, Oishi pulled him up and dragged him into the ice cream shop. "Come on." He thought he'd seen a bathroom in there.

"_Let's give them something to talk about," _Eiji kept singing as he was dragged, staring at Oishi with an almost adoring expression on his face,_ "Let's give them something to talk about. Let's give them something to talk about. How about looooo-ooo-oo-ooo-oove?"_

They did have a bathroom and Oishi quickly shoved inside, shutting the door behind them and locking it. Then turned back to Eiji who was still singing.

"_I feel so foolish,"_ Eiji said, advancing on him. Panicky, Oishi looked for an escape route but there was none. He'd just locked the door "_I never noticed. You'd act so nervous._" Getting in close, Eiji let his fingers crawl up Oishi's chest_ "Could you be falling for meee?" _Fingers getting to the top, he tilted his head inquisitively and grinned. "_It took a rumor to make me wondeeer. _Now _I'm convinced I'm goooiing under." _

Eiji pushed Oishi into the door, getting even closer, and Oishi turned red, holding himself stiff. Eiji was just a little too close._ "Thinking 'bout you every day," _Eiji sang, pressing his body into his,_ "Dreaming 'bout you eeevery night. I'm hoping that you feel the same waaay. _Now_ that we know it, let's really show it, darlin'." _Hands still resting on Oishi's chest, Eiji pressed his forehead against Oishi's and sang, _"Let's give them something to talk about. A little mystery to figure ooouut. Let's give them something to talk about. How about looove, loooove, looooooove?"_

Ending that one note,Eiji took a breath and pressed their faces together in a kiss. Numbly, Oishi felt himself respond and he mentally kicked himself for it. Stopping himself, he pushed Eiji away, successfully getting Eiji to move back a few steps. "Eiji?" he asked, looking at his friend, hoping he was done.

But he wasn't done. _"Let's give them something to taaalk abooooout, baby," _Eiji sang in response, stubbornly moving closer again and pushing Oishi against the door a second time. _"A little mystery to figure ooouut. Let's give them something to talk abooout. How about looooo-ooo-oooo-ooooo-oo-ooooooooove?" (2) _And with that long note Eiji finally stopped, coming back to himself. Noticing their rather close position, he smiled almost sheepishly.

"Uh . . . hey."

"Yeah, hey," Oishi replied, blushing, "Are you done?"

Eiji nodded, still far too close. "I think so."

"Then . . . Do you think you could back up a bit?"

Eiji cheerfully shook his head. "Nope. I think I like it here." He put his hands on Oishi's chest and moved even closer.

"Eiji!" Oishi protested, blush worsening, and hurriedly pushed Eiji's hands and the boy away.

Eiji grinned but stayed where he was. "You know you like it."

"Eiji, no," Oishi said firmly, still blushing, but beginning to get himself together. "We can't."

Eiji pouted. "Why not? You locked the door. Nobody can come in here."

"It's not that. We just . . . we just can't. I don't . . . like you like that." The words hurt to say, but were necessary.

"Yes you do," Eiji countered, "I know you do. You kissed back."

Cursing himself for the slip, Oishi shook his head. "It was instinctual."

Now Eiji was starting to frown. "I _know_ you like me. Why can't you just admit it?"

"Because we're both boys! And we should just be _friends_. That's it."

Eiji looked confused. "What does both of us being boys have to do with anything? Tezuka and Fuji are both boys and you don't have a problem with them. So are Inui and Kaidoh."

Oishi sighed and turned away. "Just . . . let it go."

"No," Eiji said stubbornly. "I won't. Why does the fact that we're boys matter?"

"It's not just that! It's everything. We just . . . can't." That was the best way to describe it and Oishi shook his head. "I'm not talking about this anymore."

"But Oishi!" Eiji protested.

Oishi shook his head again, turning around to unlock the door. "I'm not. Come on." He held the door open and looked back at his friend, waiting for Eiji to go first.

Not happy, Eiji pushed past him, promising, "We _will_ talk about this."

And they probably would because when had Oishi ever really been able to deny Eiji anything? But for right now Oishi ignored him and followed him out the door.

* * *

TBC

(1) "You Might Think" by The Cars

(2) "Something to Talk About" by Bonnie Raitt


	4. In Which They Fight

Not much singing in this one and there is probably some wild OOC-ness here. Sorry. Kaidoh especially is really hard for me to write.

* * *

-

Chapter #4: In Which They Fight

-

That song yesterday had said he was lonely. Kaidoh wasn't lonely. He refused to be lonely. He would fix his relationship with Inui if it killed him.

"Are you sure you want to stay?" Inui asked, looking back at him with a small frown, "I'm going to be busy with the antidote all night. I don't want you getting bored."

"I'll be fine, senpai," Kaidoh replied, following Inui into his garage (a.k.a. his laboratory). "I have homework to do."

Inui looked a little suspicious of this—Kaidoh wasn't normally in the habit of coming over just to do homework—but let it go. He had other things to think about.

And Kaidoh held tight to his resentment at this. It didn't make _sense_ to resent Inui for not stopping what he was doing immediately to figure Kaidoh out. So what if there had used to be a time when Inui had _wanted_ to do just that. Kaidoh had invited himself along and Inui was busy.

"Very well," Inui just said and turned to his lab. The results of last night's research were still on the table and he shuffled through his notes, organizing them and putting them to the side to get ready for his latest experiment. He had a small container full of the original juice kept under the table and he got that out, along with one of those small things that suck up water like a turkey baster— Kaidoh didn't know its technical name—and got to work.

Dropping his backpack on the floor, Kaidoh bent over to take out his books, clearing a small space for himself on Inui's lab table. His English teacher had given them nearly a chapter of reading to do and he really did need to work on his Japanese history report.

And for a long while they worked in comfortable silence, a quiet hour quickly passing by.

Kaidoh wasn't really sure what to think of this. On the one hand he knew that neither Inui nor he was the biggest of talkers, so it was normal. But on the other hand the whole point of his being there was to try to re-establish the bond between them. It wouldn't work like this.

Pausing in his work, Kaidoh looked up from his books to study Inui's serious face. The other boy was single-mindedly focused on his test tubes and beakers, carefully measuring out a few drops of juice or some other chemical and doing whatever it was he did with them. Kaidoh couldn't claim to understand the chemistry involved.

He didn't want to bother Inui while he was working either. Inui would not be happy about being disturbed when he was in the middle of something important and it had already been rude enough to invite himself along.

Kaidoh sighed and looked back down at his books. Maybe this had been a bad idea.

Dispirited, he went back to his homework. And for a while more they worked in silence, the quiet stretching between them. To Kaidoh at least it was becoming strained, testing his nerves, and finally he couldn't take it anymore and looked up again. "Inui-senpai?" he spoke up hesitantly. He knew Inui wouldn't yell at him, or really do anything but be silently frustrated, but that was still no reason to be rude.

"Yes?" Inui mumbled distractedly, carefully squeezing a few drops of some chemical into a beaker full of a blue liquid. The liquid began to bubble at the contact and Inui frowned, obviously displeased.

"Are you going to be eating dinner tonight?" Kaidoh asked. It was getting late and Inui didn't seem to be showing signs of stopping any time soon. Usually he was extremely conscientious of eating properly—it wouldn't be good for his tennis game if he was weak from hunger and the proper food could actually be very beneficial to his physical improvement—but occasionally when he was involved in some kind of project he would forget.

Inui made a few notes in a nearby notebook, only paying half attention to his words. "There's a 56.2 percent chance that if I work through the night I will have a breakthrough."

Not liking this, Kaidoh frowned. "Inui-senpai, you need to eat."

Inui didn't look up from his notebook, tapping a pencil against the pages as contemplated his next step. "I have some energy bars in my bag," he murmured absently.

Frustrated, Kaidoh hissed. The battle to drag Inui away from his work was familiar and almost never successful, but Kaidoh could always hope. He looked down at his books with a frown as he searched for something else to say and there was a moment of silence. Finally coming up with something, he looked up. "Inui-senpai?" he asked more confidently.

Inui didn't answer, too caught up in his work.

Somewhat irritated, Kaidoh tried again. "Inui-senpai?"

"Hmm?" Inui was obviously barely paying attention and that pissed Kaidoh off.

"Will you at least _look_ at me?!" Kaidoh snapped, suddenly inexplicably angry.

And that got his attention. Obviously surprised, Inui's head shot up and he turned to him, eyes a little wider than usual behind his glasses. "Kaidoh?" It wasn't often that Kaidoh used that tone of voice on him. He was usually far too respectful so it only happened when they fought. Which meant he used it practically never.

The name pissed him off even more and Kaidoh hissed again. What ever happened to the days when he was simply Kaoru?

Inui frowned, eyes narrowing as he studied Kaidoh, obviously wondering where this sudden anger had come from. "Is something wrong?"

Kaidoh _knew_ his anger was unjustified. He had invited himself along; of course Inui didn't have to pay attention to him. But this was just too common. Inui was _always_ busy. To get any time with him Kaidoh would have to practically force himself on the other boy and he was too respectful to do that so he was always ignored. He hadn't realized just how sick of it he was until then.

"No, _senpai_," he growled angrily, "everything's just _fine_."

Inui's frown deepened at the anger behind those words and he stood up straighter to regard Kaidoh seriously. "Everything is obviously _not_ fine. What's wrong?"

Kaidoh crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes at the older boy, scowling. "Why don't you ask your data?" And did he sound bitter? No. Of course not.

"Kaidoh . . ." Inui said disapprovingly.

But Kaidoh wouldn't say anymore, stubbornly refusing to share what his problem was, so Inui had to guess. Which he did.

"There's a 23.5 percent chance that this has something to do with an event that happened at school," he tried first, "64 percent that this somehow involved Momoshiro."

Kaidoh stayed silent, glaring at the older boy.

His guess obviously wrong, Inui continued, "But there's a 78.5 percent chance that I myself have somehow personally offended you in the last five minutes. 75.2 percent that this is because my attention was on my work and not you."

And put like that it sounded so stupid and needy and Kaidoh blushed, confirming Inui's guess,

"Ah," Inui said, nodding his understanding, but then looked at him. "Kaidoh, why did you come over today?"

Anger gone, replaced by embarrassment, Kaidoh's arms tightened across his chest and he looked down at the floor, mumbling lowly, "I needed to."

"I'm sorry. What was that?"

His blush worsening, Kaidoh looked up, meeting Inui's eyes, and repeated more clearly, "I needed to." Hoping Inui wouldn't ask anymore questions. He really didn't want to have to explain himself any more than that.

Inui looked curious. "Why would you think that?"

Damn him. "Because . . ." Kaidoh struggled to get the words out. He looked down at his lap again, arms uncrossing to reach up and tug at his bandana uncomfortably. "Don't you . . ." he finally said, not looking up, "Don't you notice it?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you are talking about."

That made some of his anger come back and Kaidoh let his arms drop down to his lap, looking up to give Inui a dirty look. "Don't you even _care_?"

And still Inui had no idea what he was talking about. "About what?"

"About _us. _About _anything_. We're practically strangers and now you won't even listen to me."

Inui looked a little confused. "We see each other everyday. On estimate, 4 hours, 42 minutes, and 56 seconds per day. We are in no way strangers."

Kaidoh felt his hands curl into fists under the table and he narrowed his eyes at the older boy, more than irritated by Inui's current stupidity. "Yes. We. Are," he grit out past his increasing anger.

But Inui was obviously not listening anymore. "Something else must be bothering you. This isn't like you."

But that was just like Inui. He didn't listen. Sick of it, Kaidoh growled, banging his fists down on the table, causing the beakers and test tubes to rattle, and leaned forward aggressively. "Will you just _listen_ to me for once?"

Inui frowned. "I _am_ listening. The problem is you are not making any sense."

Back tense, Kaidoh closed his eyes, grit his teeth, and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. It wouldn't do to start yelling no matter how much he wanted to. Inui could be so annoying sometimes. "Just tell me this," he finally said more patiently than Inui deserved and opened his eyes, deciding to just give up and go back to the question he had wanted to ask in the first place, "What are we going to do for our anniversary tomorrow?"

"Kaidoh, until I find an antidote I'm afraid we won't be celebrating anything."

Kaidoh was silent as he let that run through his mind. "So this is going to be like my birthday?" he finally asked with a deadly calm, "You told me that would never happen again."

"Yes, I know, but there's an 83.7 percent chance that the next time you fall under the drug's influence you will be in public and I was under the impression that this was something you would like to avoid." Inui paused then added, almost as an afterthought, "I'm sorry."

And could Kaidoh really blame him for that? He _did_ want to avoid it and, in a very Inui-like way, Inui _was _showing that he cared. But still . . .

Kaidoh clenched his fists tighter and looked down at the tabletop, taking another deep breath in and out as he tried to get his anger under control. It took a few minutes to calm himself but he was able to do it, even if he still couldn't look at Inui. "I'm going home," Kaidoh announced, not letting Inui see his expression, and he began silently collecting his things, shoving them roughly back into his backpack. "Thank you for having me, senpai," he muttered just because he was naturally polite and got to his feet, walking out the door.

Inui stayed staring after him for a long moment before eventually just shaking his head and going back to his work.

* * *

The next morning came and Inui still had no idea what had so upset Kaidoh the night before. It had distracted him the whole night and he'd been able to do little more on his search for the antidote. It was frustrating and almost worrying, but he would see how things played out today.

And there was the boy now, coming up to the school. Inui frowned as Kaidoh came closer, close enough to see the way that Kaidoh's head drooped almost 23 degrees lower than its usual absorbed-in-thought tilt. He must have gotten less than his optimal 7 hours of sleep the night before. That was not a good sign. It meant that whatever had so upset him last night was bothering him enough to effect his sleeping pattern. But Inui didn't have enough data to correctly ascertain the problem and Kaidoh didn't seem likely to tell him.

Further research would have to be done. First step: Get a closer estimate of how upset Kaidoh actually was. The level of upset could be directly proportional to the size of the problem.

Inui waited patiently for Kaidoh to come closer, expecting the boy to stop at his side as usual and he blinked when Kaidoh merely glanced at him then moved to brush past on his way to the doors of the school.

"Kaidoh," Inui spoke up but Kaidoh didn't turn around and kept right on walking. Worried by this, Inui hurried to catch up, reaching out to grab Kaidoh by the arm and bringing him to a halt. "Kaidoh," Inui said again, hoping to get his attention, but Kaidoh's eyes didn't move from the concrete.

Now Inui was really getting concerned. This was not typical of the boy. All his data of post-fight behavior indicated that while Kaidoh might still be angry, he would still maintain eye-contact. He would be glaring and hissing. Was he really that upset about their anniversary? It _was_ two years but surely Kaidoh had to see that this problem with his juice took precedent. Inui knew Kaidoh hated the singing. Logically, he should be glad that Inui was working as hard as he was to find an antidote. They could always go out another day. It was really that simple.

Of course there was a 43 percent chance that something else had occurred between the time Kaidoh had left Inui's house yesterday and the present. "Has something happened?" Inui asked.

Kaidoh closed his eyes and looked pained. "Inui-senpai . . ."

Well at least he still spoke.

"Yes?" Inui asked, wondering if maybe Kaidoh would tell him the problem after all.

"Just . . ." Kaidoh closed his eyes and put a hand to his forehead, hiding his eyes. "Just don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't talk."

Well that was a little ruder than Inui was used to. Kaidoh was usually so respectful. Maybe he was sick. Pushing Kaidoh's hand away, Inui put the back of his hand to Kaidoh's forehead. Warm but not overly so. Inui frowned again. Then what . . .

"Are you okay?" he asked, leaning down and trying to catch Kaidoh's eyes, but Kaidoh stubbornly kept his head down and eyes averted. "Kaidoh?"

Kaidoh slowly shook his head, then opened his mouth supposedly to say something but instead started singing. _"I don't feel like loving you today," _he sang softly, slowly and almost sadly. "_So don't you even try to change my mind. The best thing you can do right now is just go away. 'Cause I don't feel like loving you today."_

Blinking in surprise, Inui drew back to study the other boy. He had been able to take a few more notes yesterday when Momo had burst into song in the middle of practice, but he hadn't been able to properly study Kaidoh under the influence yet. Somewhat pleased and curious to see if there would be any differences between those afflicted, he got out his notebook.

"_I don't want to talk about last night," _Kaidoh continued just as slowly,_ "I'm angry and I haven't had much sleep. I'm so tired and bloodshot there ain't no telling what I'd say. 'Cause I don't feel like loving you today."_

Kaidoh appeared normal. No discolorations on his skin, no blush even, and he didn't appear dazed. He now held his head 45 degrees lower than normal but that could be contributed to a variety of factors. The only thing really different about him was that he was singing. Something Kaidoh would rather die before doing in public.

Inui noted this down, but was somewhat disappointed.

Still lost in his song, Kaidoh sighed and just looked tired. _"But you know I will anywaaaay even though we make it hard sometiiiimes. I'll wind up forgiving you and probably loving you for the rest of my liiiiiii-iiiiife."_

Maybe he wouldn't be getting any data from observing the phenomena. Not unless he took some blood samples which he couldn't do at school without the proper equipment. And maybe he should actually be paying attention to what Kaidoh was singing. These songs were the involuntary verbalization of Kaidoh's feelings. Maybe they would give him a clue as to what was bothering him.

"_But I don't feel like loving you today. And I've got sixteen hours left to go. I might tell you that I'm leaving even though you know I'll stay. 'Cause I don't feel like loving you today."_

And actually hearing that, Inui didn't know what to think. Brow drawing down in concern, he flipped to a different section in his notebook and noted this down. Kaidoh didn't want to love him anymore? That did not sound good.

"_But you know I will anywaaaay even though we make it hard sometiiiimes," _And did Kaidoh really have to sound so pained at that?_ "I'll wind up forgiving you and probably loving you for the rest of my liiiiiii-iiiife. But I don't feel like loving you todaa-aay," _Kaidoh paused and took a breath, looking sad,_ "I just don't feel like loving you today."(1)_

Kaidoh sighed again and the song seemed to be over. Kaidoh had stopped singing, but still refused to look at him or at anything around him. There was a moment of silence as Inui stared down at his boyfriend, not sure what to think.

"I'm sorry, senpai," Kaidoh finally mumbled and then sped off into the school. The words replaying in his head, Inui stared after him.

This was not good.

* * *

Ryoma had ignored him all of yesterday and all of that day and Momo was not happy with this. Ryoma seemed to just want to put the whole song thing behind him, and Momo understood that, but Ryoma also seemed to want to put their whole friendship behind him with it, and Momo didn't plan on being quite so understanding of that.

Sure he'd never expected Ryoma to actually _return_ his feelings, but did the brat have to try and shut him out of his life completely?

He'd offered to go for burgers yesterday, the food all on him, but Ryoma had claimed mountains of homework and hadn't gone. He'd gone by Ryoma's house that morning to take the brat to school only to find that Ryoma had actually gotten up early for once and had already left. He'd gone to practice that morning and approached Ryoma to ask a simple question only to be rudely turned away. He'd gone up on the roof during lunch intent on making Ryoma listen to him only to be ignored. Now it was after practice and he was following Ryoma off the tennis courts. He would follow Ryoma all the way home if he needed to too and he wasn't planning on shutting up while doing it.

"Echizen, come on. This is getting stupid."

Ryoma ignored him and kept on walking, his pace fast and clearly meant to get him far, far away.

"You can't ignore me forever," Momo tried, long legs easily keeping up with Ryoma's short ones.

Again, Ryoma ignored him, his eyes on the road in front of him. He adjusted his grip on his tennis bag and kept on walking.

"I'm just going to keep talking and following you around, you know. You'll never get rid of me!" There was still no response to this and Momo frowned before continuing, "I bet you like that, huh? Having me follow you around? Bet it gives you some kind of rush. Man, that's just like you."

At this, Ryoma couldn't help but roll his eyes.

And Momo grinned, pointing at Ryoma's face triumphantly. "Hah! I _knew_ you were listening! You can't block me out. You _love_ me."

And _that_ sure got a response. Ryoma abruptly stopped walking (Momo almost ran into his back) and whipped around to face him, a dark look on his face. "I _don't_ love you," he nearly snarled, "You're just _that_ annoying."

And, ouch, that actually kind of hurt. A lot. But Momo smiled past it, determined to not let Ryoma get to him. "You love me," he said instead, "You even sang the song to prove it. I don't know why you're so freaked out about this."

Ryoma scowled darkly and ignored the part about being freaked out. "That song never said anything about loving you."

Which, when he really thought about it, was true and Momo frowned, brought down a little. "Well it sure sounded like you did."

"But I don't."

"Well, you obviously feel _something_," Momo said, not about to give up, "That song showed that at least."

"Except, Momo-senpai," Ryoma started, his patience obviously being strained, "for the fact that I don't."

And they could go on like this forever so Momo decided to try something else. "You do," he said, just to get that in there, "But even if you don't that doesn't mean you have to start avoiding me."

Obviously glad that Momo had stopped claiming that Ryoma loved him, Ryoma turned and started walking again, this time slower than before and asking faux-casually, "Who ever said I was avoiding you?"

That was irritating and Momo gave Ryoma a look, jogging awkwardly with his bike to catch up with the younger boy. "Don't insult me," he said when he was walking besides Ryoma again. "You're avoiding me and we both know it."

Ryoma made a noncommittal sound and adjusted his grip on his tennis bag again, going back to ignoring him.

And that was enough of that. Momo huffed and jogged a few more steps, swinging his bike around and standing in front of the other boy to block his path.

"Momo-senpai!" Ryoma protested, barely stopping in time to avoid running into to the older boy. Obviously annoyed, he tried to go around but Momo quickly moved his bike to block his way. He tried to go the other way and Momo blocked him again. With no way past, he stopped and gave Momo a narrow look. "Get out of my way, Momo-senpai."

Momo remained stubborn, not moving. "No. You are going to listen to me."

But Ryoma wasn't going to be any less stubborn, crossing his arms and looking Momo straight in the eye as he said, "No."

"Yes," Momo countered, "We _need_ to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," Ryoma said and tried to get past again but Momo quickly moved to block his path.

"There's _everything_ to talk about," Momo said, moving his bike again as Ryoma tried one more time, "I mean, look," moving his bike when Ryoma tried again, "Look, just because I love you that doesn't—

"You love me?" Obviously startled, Ryoma abruptly stopped all attempts to get by, staring up at Momo with wide eyes.

Momo gave Ryoma a strange look. "Well yeah. I thought you knew that." Hadn't he known that?

Clearly he hadn't. "You never said anything about _love_."

"I didn't?" Momo thought back to his song yesterday. The closest he had gotten to love was the lyrics '_All I want is you'_. Huh. Oh well. He turned back to Ryoma. "Well, I do," he said as if this were nothing, "but—

"I need to get going," Ryoma interrupted and tried to push past again, this love thing obviously freaking him out even more than he already had been.

Momo held firm, pushing his bike in Ryoma's way. "No. Not until you listen to me."

Ryoma shook his head and feinted to the left then went right, managing to get by before Momo could push his bike in the way.

"Hey!" Momo protested as Ryoma got past him, then sighed, irritated, and awkwardly turned his bike around to follow. "Oh come _on_, Echizen." He jogged a few steps till he was right behind the freshman again, who was back to his previous fast pace, obviously wanting to get away quickly. The only thing holding him back from running had to be his pride. "I know you feel something for me too. Why is this freaking you out so much?"

"It's not freaking me out and I don't love you."

"It _is_ freaking you out and I never said you loved me. Just that you felt something. Your song said you did."

"No it didn't," Ryoma denied.

"'_You make me smile'_?" Momo quoted, "That sure _sounds_ like something someone who likes me would say."

"That's 'cause you're an idiot."

Momo wouldn't let Ryoma get to him. He was just lashing out. Still, this was getting annoying. Why did the brat have to be so goddamn stubborn? "Echizen . . ."

Ryoma hugged his arms to his chest as he walked, clearly uncomfortable. "Just leave me alone, Momo-senpai."

Momo was starting to feel bad that he was pressing so hard. But that didn't mean he would stop. "Not until you've listened to me."

"I _have_ listened to you," Ryoma said. "Now go away."

"No. I'm not finished talking."

Ryoma closed his eyes briefly, irritated. "You're never finished talking."

"Not when something's important."

Ryoma spared him a backwards glance, raising a brow and asking, "And this is important?"

And ouch. That one hurt too. "Of _course_ this is important," Momo said, shocked he would even say such a thing. "I _love_ you. That's not something you hear everyday, you know."

"Maybe _you_ don't, but I actually do."

"Are you actually comparing me to those crazy fangirls of yours?!" Momo asked, more than insulted. "I'm nothing like them! I actually do love you!" It was getting easier to say that and Momo actually kind of liked to do it. It sounded good.

Cringing a bit at the loudness of that last statement, Ryoma quickly looked up and down the street before glaring back at him, hissing, "Will you be quiet?"

Momo had to agree that that may have been a little loud and he shrunk down, apologetic. "Sorry," he said quietly.

Ryoma sighed, clearly annoyed, but stopped walking and allowed Momo to stop beside him. "Why can't you just leave it alone?" he asked.

"You know why I can't."

Ryoma made a vague noise of acknowledgement and reached up with his left hand to rub his temple, looking down at the ground. He was starting to get a headache. He wasn't meant to deal with these kinds of situations.

Seeing that Ryoma wasn't going to be running away anymore, Momo decided now would be a good time to get out what he had wanted to say. "You know, if you're running away because you're worried that I'm gonna be expecting something of you then don't. I'm not expecting anything. I just don't want you to ignore me."

Ryoma looked up at him, seemingly judging his sincerity. When the decision seemed to be taking a really long time, Momo began to get nervous.

"And I mean," he said, just because he felt like he should be talking, "it's not like I'm gonna jump you or anything like that. Really. I just want things to go back to the way things were. You know, with us as friends. Only this time I guess you'll know and I guess that could be a bit awkward for both of us but that'll pass really quickly. At least I think it will. I mean, I'm not gonna say anything and you're probably not gonna say anything and we can all just go back to ignoring it and—

"Momo-senpai," Ryoma finally broke in, looking irritated, "Shut up."

Momo shut up, but looked at Ryoma pleadingly, begging Ryoma with his eyes to say that they could still be friends. Because Momo didn't know what he would do if Ryoma said no.

Ryoma sighed and looked away from Momo's eyes. "Look, I think I just need some time to think about things, okay?" He looked back at Momo to see how this was being taken.

Momo looked a little disappointed but smiled anyway, nodding. "Yeah. Sure. Take all the time you need."

Ryoma stared at him a long minute, assessing him, then turned away and began walking again. This time Momo didn't follow.

* * *

Eiji grabbed Oishi before he could escape after practice. "We were gonna talk, remember?"

Oishi looked uneasy, but allowed himself to be dragged out of the clubhouse willingly enough. "Does it really have to be right now? I mean, I have homework and—

"It has to be right now," Eiji said, uncharacteristically serious, "You're not escaping without telling me why you think we can't be together."

Eiji stopped dragging him along when they had reached a more private section of the tennis courts and turned to regard him seriously. Oishi got his arm back and sighed as he rubbed some life back into it. "I told you. We just can't."

"Yeah and I think that's a pretty stupid excuse. _Why_ can't we? Because we're both boys? That doesn't make any sense and you know it. I mean, you're okay with Fuji and Tezuka and Inui and Kaidoh, but not us? You even want to help Momo and Ochibi get together. Why not us?"  
"I never said that I wanted Momo and Echizen to get together," Oishi corrected. "I said I wanted to help them. There's a difference."

"But you're okay with them being gay?" Eiji pressed but then looked suspicious. "You aren't some kind of closet homophobe are you?"

"What!" Oishi looked shocked. "No! Of course not. I'm totally fine with it."

"Good," Eiji said, nodding seriously, "because if you weren't I'd have to hit you. Besides Ochibi our entire team is gay in some way and even Ochibi is questionable. I won't let you secretly hate them all just because they like boys."

"Tezuka's as gay as they come and he's my best friend," Oishi said, looking a little hurt that Eiji would say something like that to him. "Why on Earth would I hate him?"

"Well I don't know," Eiji said, throwing his hands in the air helplessly. "Why do homophobes hate anyone?"

"I'm not a homophobe," Oishi repeated.

"Well, okay then. That's good," Eiji said, accepting the fact, and then turned the conversation back to his original question. "But then why not us?"

Oishi looked down at the ground and shrugged uncomfortably. He had hoped Eiji had forgotten. "Well you know . . ."

"Obviously I don't know. That's why I'm asking." Eiji was beginning to look irritated. This was a strange day. Oishi wasn't used to Eiji showing negative emotions or being serious and here he was doing both at the same time. Eiji really must be serious about their possible relationship. And knowing that made Oishi even more uncomfortable than he already was.

But still. Obviously Eiji was not going to be backing down on this. Oishi sighed again and decided just to come clean. "I listen to Tezuka and what his family puts him through because of his relationship with Fuji and I just don't want that to happen to either of us. I mean, I know you're really close with your sisters. Do you really want that taken away just for some possibility of a relationship?"

Eiji looked incredulous. "_That's_ what you're worried about?" Looking relieved, he stepped back and laughed. "And here I thought it was something serious."

Oishi didn't like that Eiji would take this so lightly. "That _is_ serious."

"No it's not," Eiji disagreed, shaking his head and smiling, "I know for a fact that my sisters would love it if I was gay. They already think I am."

"And your parents?" Oishi asked pointedly.

Eiji waved that off dismissively. "They'll be fine. They're my parents. They love me."

Oishi crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at the ground. "Well my parents might not be so understanding."

"How would you know if you never tried?" Eiji asked logically.

Oishi gave him a look. "I'm not going to risk losing my parents just because you say they _might_ be okay with it."

"Well who says that we have to even tell them?" Eiji asked. "I mean, they don't really have to know, do they?"

"I don't want to get into a relationship that I feel I have to hide," Oishi said reasonably, "And even if my parents do accept it, it's not exactly accepted by society."

"The others do okay," Eiji pointed out, hoping that would get through to him.

"Yeah and none of them actually care what other people think of them. I can't help caring."

Eiji quickly ran through the others in his mind, finally landing on one he could use. "Na-uh. Kaidoh cares!"

"And he does his best to keep his relationship with Inui a secret," Oishi replied patiently. "I don't want to do that." They had gone around full circle.

Eiji huffed, annoyed, and stomped a foot. "Oishi!" he complained. "You can't do that! I mean, so there would be a few obstacles," he said, gesturing wildly with his hands. "Is that really so bad? Nothing's perfect."

Oishi shook his head and remained stubborn. "My mind's made up."

"But you can't just go through life that way!" Eiji exclaimed, trying to make him see. "You'll never be happy."

"I'll be happy enough."

Eiji obviously couldn't take this anymore. "Argh!" Looking more than frustrated, he stomped his feet and had a little fit.

"Eiji!" Oishi exclaimed, watching this worriedly. Finally Eiji calmed down enough for him to ask, "Are you okay?"

"No!" Eiji shouted. "No I'm not okay! This effects me too you know. You can't just decide my life for me based on what ifs."

"Eiji, I'm sorry." And he really was. "But I told you. I just can't."

"Ugh!" Eiji stomped another foot. This was too much for him. "This isn't over, Oishi!" he promised, pointing a finger at the other boy, "I'm gonna keep bugging you until you cave! And you _will_ cave!" And, with that, he stomped off, leaving Oishi staring after him alone.

* * *

TBC

(1) "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today" by Gretchen Wilson


	5. To Be At Home

AN: Just to make sure, because I'm not sure, but all of Eiji's sisters are older than him, right? If not, in my world they are.

* * *

- 

Chapter #5: To Be at Home

-

It wasn't that long of a walk between where Momo and he had stopped to talk and his house and a few minutes later Ryoma was home. Unfortunately, so was his dad.

"Oi seishounen!" Nanjiroh called out.

Standing at the foot of the stairs, on his way to his bedroom, Ryoma reluctantly turned around. "What?" he snapped. He was really not in the mood for his father's usual idiocy.

"Play a game with me."

Oh that's what he wanted. "Not right now," Ryoma mumbled and turned to climb the stairs.

Nanjiroh stopped where he was and looked shocked. "No?" The concept seemed foreign to him. "But . . ." Then he seemed to realize something and got an annoyingly knowing look on his face. "Oh, I get it. You don't want to squashed into the ground. Got tired of being beaten every time." Nanjiroh laughed loudly. "Oh my poor, no talent son." He pretended to wipe away a fake tear.

Ryoma stopped halfway up the stairs and shot him a look. "No. I just already played tennis today. I don't feel like playing again." He really just wanted to get to his room where things made sense and he wouldn't have to think about Momo.

Nanjiroh's mouth hung open and he looked stricken. "You don't _want _to—?" he cut himself off and suddenly got very serious. Closing the distance in two quick strides, Nanjiroh pulled Ryoma down the stairs by the neck of his shirt.

"Oyaji!" Ryoma protested. Nanjiroh was pulling him too fast and he had to hurry or he would fall down the stairs.

"Quiet. Something's wrong with you, boy. We need to get you to your mother."

Ryoma struggled against his hold. "I'm fine! Leave me alone!"

Nanjiroh was silent, pulling him into the kitchen where his mother was seated at the table, papers spread out along its surface, and Nanako was busy making dinner. They both turned to stare at the father and son as Nanjiroh entered and shoved Ryoma in front of him.

"Tell her what you told me," Nanjiroh ordered.

Ryoma didn't see what the big deal was. "I don't want to play a game right now."

His mom immediately looked worried. "Are you okay? Did something happen at school?"

Why did they immediately think something was wrong with him? So he didn't want to play a game. So what? "Nothing happened," he said, starting to sound exasperated. "I just already played tennis today."

"See?" Nanjiroh said, pointing as if this proved everything. "He's gone crazy."

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Rinko asked, concerned, "You've never passed up a game before."

Ryoma shrugged, uncomfortable under the concern. "I just don't feel like it."

Nanjiroh nodded, still looking serious. "Obviously this is a serious matter."

Ryoma wasn't used to his dad being serious and he shifted uncomfortably under all their stares. "Look, nothing's wrong with me. Can I go upstairs now?"

His mom still looked concerned, but nodded anyway. "Well, alright."

Nodding his thanks, Ryoma turned to go, but his father got in the way.

"Oh, no. I didn't say you could leave," Nanjiroh said, blocking the way with his body. "This isn't over."

Ryoma tried to go around, but Nanjiroh moved quickly to block him. He tried the other way and Nanjiroh moved with him. Stopping, Ryoma glared up at his father. "Get out of my way." What was with people and blocking him today?

"Not until you're right again," Nanjiroh said.

Not saying anything, Ryoma glared and tried to go around again. Then again. And again. Finally he'd had enough. "Oyaji! Move!"

"Are you sane again?" Nanjiroh asked, looking down at him critically.

Ryoma tilted his head up to glare. "Yes," he said simply.

"Then play a game with me."

"No." At this point it was really just to not give his father what he wanted. The principle of the thing, you know?

"Then you're not sane. And I'm not moving."

"Oh really, Nanjiroh," his mother said, exasperated "Just let him go."

Ryoma waited to see if his dad would listen to his mom.

Nanjiroh turned to give his wife a look. "You stay out of this, Rinko. This is between men."

Apparently he wouldn't.

So he would have to get around himself. "Oyaji!" Ryma said irritably and tried to push his father bodily out of the way. It didn't work and his dad laughed at him.

"Heh heh, seishounen," Nanjroh laughed annoyingly and then, just to annoy, tried to advise him. "Put some muscle into it."

Irritated, Ryoma tried harder, but his dad was a solid block of muscle. Why was he so weak?

"No. More. More." Nanjiroh laughed again. "You're too weak. My poor, weak, no talent, son. I'm almost ashamed. When _I_ was your age I could move . . ." and he proceeded to go into long exhausting detail about some time when he was younger and camping. There was a bear involved. Ryoma doubted it was actually physically possible so his dad was just making stuff up again.

He finally couldn't take the idiocy anymore and cut in irritably, "Oyaji!"

His father broke off from his ramblings, looking a little lost. He'd apparently been really into the story. "What?

Ryoma opened his mouth to reply and, to his eternal shame, instead started singing. "_You say I should do it differently. I don't necessarily agree. Stand up! Sit down! Be nice! Did you hear me ask for your advice?"_

His father looked a little confused and shocked, no doubt having expected something different and obviously wondering what the hell his son was doing singing all of a sudden.

And Ryoma couldn't stop himself from continuing. _"Don't bother trying to tell me your beliefs. Your point of view is pretty screwed to me. Do this! Do that! On track! Do me a favor and don't talk back." _

Ryoma tried to keep himself from continuing, his mind screaming and pounding against its cage. He could _not_ do this here. Anywhere but here. Anywhere. In the middle of the street at rush hour just not here.

But no. Visibly frustrated, he continued. _"Round and round and the conversation always ends where it began. Round and round and I _need _a vacation. I've got a headache from yo-ou. Shut up!" _he almost yelled, hands making fists._ "Don't want to hear your voice. Shut up! I'm sick of all the noise. There's nothing you can say to me so get away from me. Shut up!"_

Ryoma could feel his body begin to move against his will. _"Blah blah, blah blah, blah blah, blah blah, blah blah," _he sang, hand making the talking motions, which he would normally never do. He probably looked like an idiot._ "That's what it sounds like you said to me. You nag and you brag and I gag. There's so much beauty in what we have," _voice dripping sarcasm. At least this song wasn't as sappy as his other one. That was one relief, but it was hardly enough.

By now an amused smile had broken through his dad's confusion and you could see the jokes already lining up in his brain. And, just to make things worse, Ryoma could feel the weight of his mother's and cousin's stares at his back.

But Ryoma took a breath and started singing again._ "You must have better things that you could do. Or does your life revolve around me too? What you want, what I need, oh please! I think you get off hearing yourself speak." _

His dad looked like he might say something but Ryoma thankfully continued to sing before he could get the words out of his mouth._ "Round and round and the conversation always ends where it began. Round and round and I _need _a vacation. I've got a headache from yo-ou. Shut up!" _he almost yelled._ "Don't want to hear your voice. Shut up! I'm sick of all the noise. There's nothing you can say to me so get away from me."_

Ryoma could actually feel the song coming to a close, which he was almost stupidly thankful for, and he prepared himself to run._ "Shut up!" _he almost yelled._ "Don't want to be polite. It's messed up, how you always think you're right. There's nothing you can say that's gonna change the way I am. Shut up!" (1)_ Ryoma shouted that last bit and then ran from the room, not waiting for his parent's and cousin's reactions. They wouldn't be good anyways. Running up the stairs, he got to his room and slammed the door.

But Ryoma could still hear his dad's laughter all the way up in his bedroom and his face burned. Did that really have to happen right then? Really? Why couldn't it have happened when he was in his room and away from where other people could hear?

Ryoma collapsed on his bed, falling back and covering his face with his hands. He would never live that down. He was going to be hearing about that until he was old and grey. His dad would probably tell his children so that they could make fun of him too.

Ryoma let his hands drop and he stared up at his ceiling. He was never coming out of this room again.

* * *

Entering his room, Kaidoh sighed and sat down wearily on his bed. He'd sung again today and the song he'd sung hadn't made him any more comfortable with what these songs were making him realize. 

Because really. _"I don't feel like loving you today?"_ Did he really feel that? Had things really gotten that bad? He hadn't _thought _they had. Hadn't he just been excited about their anniversary?

Of course then Inui had to go and say they wouldn't be celebrating it. Kaidoh guessed it wasn't the end of the world that they put off the celebration until the end of this singing thing, but it just reminded him of the time that Inui had missed his birthday to work on some project. He'd apologized and gotten him a great gift but it had been the principle of the thing. You don't miss your boyfriend's birthday just to work on some new and disgusting juice creation.

Plus it had made him realize just how many dates they had been forced to cancel because Inui had been too caught up in his work. They could go whole months without once seeing each other outside of tennis. Last night had been the first night in a long time that they hadn't been focusing on training and instead they had ended up fighting.

Kaidoh was just sick of being ignored. Inui wouldn't even listen to him anymore. It was like the words that came out of his mouth were meaningless sounds. He bet Inui had probably already written off his latest song as some strange delusion or something. He certainly hadn't approached him about it yet. Had actually avoided him. Which usually meant Inui was confused and Kaidoh was being studied, but he wasn't sure this time.

And right now he was probably hard at work on the antidote, oblivious to everything. For such a smart guy, he could be such an idiot.

But what was he going to do about it?

Thinking this through, Kaidoh sighed and sat back_ "I guess he's working late again," _he sang musingly. "_I don't need to wonder where he is. But IIIII do-o. He oughta know that by nooow."_

Oh shit, Kaifdoh thought, realizing he was starting to sing. He sat up and tried to close his mouth, but it didn't work. Instead his mouth opened against his will and he continued, _"I know his work takes a lot of him. There's not much left for him to give. But IIIII need more. He oughta know that by nooow."_

Knowing that it wouldn't work, he gave it one last try to close his mouth. As expected, his mouth continued to move. "_It's not like he's gotta read my mind to know what I'm feeling after all this time. It's just too hard to hold on to what is never around. He oughta know that by noooow." _

And, actually hearing that and not liking what it was saying, Kaidoh brought his hands into his lap and stared at them. He was in his room, which was much better than on the street or at school, so as long as none of his family came in and caught him maybe singing wouldn't be that bad. But that didn't mean he was going to listen to the words anymore. They'd already ruined his relationship with Inui enough. "_He used to promise soon things would change. It's been a year and it's still the same. And that hurts. He oughta know that by nooow."_

But he couldn't stop hearing it and what the song was saying was true. But he didn't want to believe it. "_I've grown so used to being alone. Couldn't be much worse if I were gone and in a waaay I am. He oughta know that by nooow."_

And, as much as he didn't want to hear it, that was true. He'd never realized it before and it hurt to realize it now. Kaidoh looked wounded, but couldn't stop himself from continuing to sing "_It's not like he's gotta read my mind to know what I'm feeling after all this time. It's just too hard to hold on to what is never around. He oughta know that by nooow." (2)_

And the song finally stopped, the music he hadn't noticed slowly fading away into the background. Kaidoh sat on his bed, struck by what the song had just made him realize.

Was he really better off alone?

He didn't want to be, but it was true. Being with Inui wasn't exactly like being together with a person. He'd been alone for months. He wasn't even all that certain that Inui even still loved him. He certainly didn't show it.

And God, Kaidoh hated these songs. Why couldn't he have just continued to live in ignorance? Now he would actually have to do something.

* * *

Eiji fell on his bed, hugging his pillow to him. He was still upset about that afternoon. Oishi was so _frustrating_. 

He didn't even want to try, which Eiji couldn't understand. Would it really be that bad?

Oishi seemed to think that hordes of people would come out of the woodwork to criticize them and demean them for liking each other. That wouldn't really happen, would it?

Eiji rolled over onto his back and thought about it. Eventually he shook his head.

No, it wouldn't, he decided.

Eiji liked to have a more optimistic view of life. Sure some people wouldn't like it, but who cared about _those_ people? Those people were small-minded bigots. Who cared what they thought?

And sure their parents might not _like_ that they were gay. What parent did? But if they really loved them they would get over it.

But how to convince Oishi of that?

Fuji would know.

Letting go of his pillow, Eiji sat up and went to go get the phone. Now that his sisters were all in college, it was so much easier to talk to people. They wouldn't be sitting there, chatting away with their friends, while he pantomimed needing to use the phone and jumped around them impatiently. That had always been so annoying.

The phone rang three times before it was picked up. "Hello?" Fuji asked.

"Fuji!" Eiji exclaimed.

"Eiji!" Fuji replied, most likely mocking how enthusiastic he'd been.

"Oh, shut up," Eiji grumbled.

Fuji laughed at him.

"Fine. Maybe I won't tell you what happened with Oishi." Eiji had told Fuji all about what had happened at the ice cream parlor and his plans to corner Oishi yesterday. Fuji had actually been the one to suggest that he corner him after tennis practice. Something about him being tired and less likely to protest.

"No, no. I'm sorry. You're just so cute. Tell me. What happened?"

Eiji sighed and went back into his room, closing the door with his foot. "Basically, Tezuka-buchou's stories have him freaked out and he doesn't want to try anything in case his parents get mad."

"What stories would those be?" Fuji asked curiously. Almost like he didn't already know.

"You know, the ones where Tezuka-buchou's family mistreats him because of his relationship with you."

There was a pause. Then: "Oh." And there was a whole lot of meaning in that one syllable.

Plopping down on his bed, Eiji started to look worried. Maybe he shouldn't have said that. "You didn't know?"

"No . . . No, I didn't." Fuji's voice was still pleasant but there was a dangerous edge to it now. "He must have forgotten to tell me _those_ stories."

"Don't tell him I told you!" Eiji cried, envisioning running laps for the rest of eternity.

"Oh, I won't. I won't," Fuji promised reassuringly, but he still sounded scary. "But don't worry. I'll make up something . . . inventive for them."

Eiji closed his eyes and fell back on his bed. He was so going to die.

There was a pause, where Fuji was most likely imagining horrible things, then Fuji said, "But back to _your_ problem."

Eiji was more than happy to get back to a safe subject. "It's like he thinks people are going to attack us or something. I told him we could just keep it secret. You know, like Inui and Kaidoh? But he doesn't want to do that either! He doesn't want to do anything!" Remembering it brought back his earlier frustration. "Ugh! He's so _frustrating_."

"The best one's usually are," Fuji said and Eiji could tell he was smiling. "And, besides, who wants an easy relationship? That's so . . . uneventful."

"Well maybe if the reason wasn't so completely stupid, I wouldn't be so angry."

"But it _does_ have some basis in fact," Fuji pointed out, "So you shouldn't immediately throw it out the window."

"I guess," Eiji grumbled, not liking that Fuji was being so logical. He didn't like to think negatively. "But you should know how to convince him," he said instead, "You did it to Tezuka-buchou, didn't you?"

"Ah yes," Fuji said, most likely remembering those happy times. It had actually been really funny to watch Fuji pursue their captain. He'd always had some sort of plan and Tezuka was just so himself. It was weird. Eiji, personally, didn't understand how Fuji could think of Tezuka and sex at the same time, but Fuji seemed happy and that was really all that mattered.

Eiji pulled himself up and bounced a bit on his bed. "So what did you do?" he asked curiously.

"I wore him down. He wanted me, but wouldn't let himself because of his family values. Eventually though even the strongest man will weaken and that's when you get them."

"I don't think I can do that. I'm not as . . ." Eiji tried to think of a nice way to describe Fuji's methods, "persistent as you." Yeah, that would work.

"I'm sure you'll do just fine. Just corner him again tomorrow and make him talk. Make him explain his reasons to you again. Eventually you'll find the right moment."

Eiji bit his lip, thinking about this, and then asked, "How will I know?"

"Oh, you'll know." Fuji sounded scary. "It'll be obvious. Trust me."

"Well, okay . . ."

* * *

Inui stared at his lab set. It was all set to go, but he couldn't seem to focus. His mind kept bouncing back to what Kaidoh had sung that morning. It had been with him all day, almost haunting him. 

He'd stayed away from the younger boy since then, hoping to study his behavior when not with Inui to see if maybe it was something else. Maybe something else had been bothering him and it had just come out like that.

But no luck. He'd acted perfectly natural around the others. Maybe a little quieter, but that hadn't stopped Kaidoh from getting into a fight with Momo, who had suffered a 25 percent increase in irritability since Ryoma had begun avoiding him.

But if it was Inui himself that had caused Kaidoh to sing that song, then what was he doing wrong? Why would Kaidoh say something like that?

None of his data had shown that anything of this magnitude would occur. But he had to admit he had been getting lax with gathering data about Kaidoh. He was just always there and Inui had figured he would have more than enough time to gather data, that his other projects were more pressing. He had more than enough data on Kaidoh's tennis game but, as for personal data, everything he had was rather old or impersonal. Who knew how Kaidoh had changed?

Inui didn't like this. Had he really become so lax?

This would need to change.

* * *

(1) "Shut Up" by Kelly Osbourne 

(2) "He Oughta Know That By Now" by Lee Anne Womack


	6. Follow Up

I had a little trouble writing this chapter (plus the internet was out) but the reviews really helped. And I realized that I haven't thanked you guys yet so I'm gonna do it by individual. Thank you to speadee twice and to Sky Surf, Mazoku Tenshi, charlotte, HazyCloudlet, kawaii kokoro, Karupinchan, U.P.girl123, Kami011, shourin lazy to log in, hikari, LoveableDuck, Tuli-Susi, and acantabloom.

Oh, and don't worry. Inui and Kaidoh are going to get back together. This is just a small bump.

* * *

-

Chapter #6: Follow Up

-

Oishi went to school the next day with some trepidation, searching every corner, afraid Eiji would jump out at any moment and bring up their conversation from yesterday. So far it hadn't happened yet but it was only lunchtime.

And normally he would be sitting with Tezuka, Eiji, and Fuji at lunch, but again he didn't really want to see Eiji just yet. So he had decided to eat his lunch by himself under a tree on the other side of campus. It wasn't very much fun, but it was a lot safer.

"Oishi! Hey!" Eiji called cheerfully, waving a hand wildly in the air as he bounced over. "I was just looking for you!"

Oishi tried to resist the urge to groan and bury his head in his hands. He just barely made it.

"Eiji," he said instead, pasting on a smile as he put aside his lunch and started to stand up. Seated on the grass with Eiji hovering over him was not where he wanted to be. "Um. Did you want something?"

Eiji stopped beside him and smiled brightly. "You know what I want."

Oishi winced and quickly looked around their surroundings. There were a few other students lying under the tree not too far away but that was it. He suddenly felt very alone. "You aren't going to start that _here_, are you?"

"Why? What's wrong with here?" Eiji blinked and looked around the area curiously. He didn't see any reason to _not_ have the conversation here.

Oishi moved in closer and hissed, "People can _see_ us."

"Yeah, but they can't _hear_ us," Eiji pointed out with irrefutable logic. "So what's the problem?"

Oishi hung his head. "Never mind." There wasn't really any point in arguing about it. He looked up, deciding to just get the whole painful thing over with. "I thought I already told you. No means no."

"Oh no," Eiji said, looking a little smug. "One way or another you are going to agree. I have Fuji's help on this. I can't lose."

Oishi blanched. "_Fuji_?" That was not good. Even _Tezuka _couldn't stand out against _Fuji. _He might be in trouble. "_Eiji! _You know why we can't. Why do you keep pushing it?"

"Because I think it could work. I mean, who really cares about a few bigots? The people who matter won't care."

"Did you forget about my parents?" Oishi asked pointedly.

"Like I said, the people who matter won't care. If they really love you they won't have a problem with it. Maybe they'll protest for a while but they'll get over it." Eiji waved a hand negligently, as if the matter was small and unimportant. "I mean," he said, looking at Oishi curiously, "your parents do love you, don't they?"

Oishi looked a little offended. "Of course they do."

Eiji seemed to think that settled things. "Then there you go." He smiled and looked so hopeful, waiting for Oishi to agree.

Oishi shook his head and looked away. "I don't think so. It'll be more than a few bigots."

And hearing that, Eiji's smile dimmed and he frowned. "Do you really think the world is that mean?"

"Eiji," Oishi said, turning back to him seriously. "This is reality."

"Well, yeah," Eiji said, still with that frown on his face, "I know that. I just . . . I don't think there are as many mean people in the world as you seem to think there are. People are nice!"

"Eiji . . ." Oishi stared, despairing at Eiji's naivety, but he didn't really want to bring down Eiji's optimism. It was one of the things he loved about the other boy. Even if it _could_ be frustrating at times

"What?" Eiji asked blankly, not having a clue what the problem was.

Oishi closed his eyes and shook his head. "Nothing. Never mind."

"No really, what?"

Oishi waved a hand. "Ignore it."

"Well okay . . ." Eiji still looked like he wanted to ask but quickly turned back to the important things. "And even if there _are_ tons of bigots out there, we can face them! Tezuka and Fuji face them everyday and they're _more_ than happy. They're tripping on happy."

Oishi stared off to the right as he let that last sentence run through his mind. "I somehow find it hard to picture Tezuka as the 'tripping on happy' type. I mean I know he's _happy_ but . . ."

"Oh! You know what I mean!" Eiji said, frustrated. And this wasn't what Eiji had come here for. "And stop distracting me from my point!"

"What _is_ your point?"

"That you should stop being such a coward and get together with me!" Immediately after he said it Eiji wanted to take it back.

Oishi gaped, unable to believe Eiji had actually called him that. "You think I'm a coward?"

Eiji looked uncomfortable and he fidgeted, playing with his fingers and staring at the ground. "Well, a little . . ."

Oishi's mouth tightened. "It's called common sense, Eiji," he snapped, "Learn it!"

Eiji looked up, hurt. "Oishi!"

Oishi immediately looked contrite. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I don't know what I was thinking."

"I shouldn't have said that either," Eiji said, knowing he was partly to blame "You're not a coward."

"And you have plenty of common sense."

There was a pause as each of them looked away, uncomfortable. Eiji stared at the ground again. Oishi watched that group of friends over by the other tree. They looked so happy.

Finally, Eiji started talking again. "But then why won't you get together with me?" The true hurt that he was feeling finally managing to come through.

"Eiji . . ." Oishi turned back to him helplessly.

"I mean," Eiji continued as twisted his hands, still staring at the ground. "Obviously you like me or we wouldn't even be having this conversation and I just don't _understand_. Is it _really_ because of the bigots?" Eiji stole a small, shy, glance up out of the corner of his eye. "You're not a coward."

"I just . . ." Oishi faltered, looking away then back, "Don't you think it's a little too fast?"

Eiji looked up at him fully, not understanding. "We've been friends for years."

"Well, yeah, but . . ." Oishi struggled to explain. "I dunno," he said, shrugging uncomfortably, "It just seems too fast."

"Oishi . . ." Eiji didn't know what to say to that. All of the arguments he'd come here with addressed the bigot and parent issue. Nothing like this. And he didn't think Fuji would be able to help him with this even if he _could_ ask him. "How slow do you want us to go?" he finally asked.

Oishi looked embarrassed. "Slower?"

"We're already not even moving," Eiji pointed out, "We can't get any slower."

"I just think we should go slower. This is all new to me, you know. The whole gay thing."

"It's new to me too but at least I'm willing to give it a try."

Oishi said nothing, actively avoiding his eyes. And at that moment the bell rang.

Eiji turned in the direction of the school to give it a dirty look. It just had to ring right then, didn't it? Just when they were making progress. He turned back to Oishi. "We'll talk about this _later_," he promised.

Oishi nodded, just wanting to get away, and bent down to pick up his lunch.

* * *

"Hey Echizen!" Momo called, waving a hand at the freshman, who was lying under a tree not too far away. Ryoma sat up at the sound of his name and, seeing who it was, sighed heavily. But he didn't look like he would run away if Momo approached so Momo jogged over.

"So have you thought about it?" Momo asked as soon as he arrived.

Immediately realizing what he meant, Ryoma looked irritated. "Give me more time Momo-senpai."

"But I _gave_ you time! _Lots_ of time!"

"You gave me a night. I need more. What happened to 'take all the time you need'?" Ryoma asked mockingly.

Momo sighed and settled himself down next to the first-year, sitting cross-legged as he pulled at the grass. "I got bored."

"Bored," Ryoma repeated dully, staring at him. Had he really just said that?

"What?" Momo cried defensively. "You try sitting at home alone waiting for someone to decide _your_ future for you!"

Ryoma was unimpressed. "I'm not deciding your future for you. I'm deciding your love life."

Momo waved a hand dismissively. "Same thing. To-may-to, to-mah-to."

Ryoma rolled his eyes and decided to lie back down, covering his face with his arm. Why did he put up with this idiot again?

"Hey." Momo poked him in the arm. "Hey." He poked him again.

Ryoma removed his arm from his face and looked up at Momo irritably. "What?"

"Can you help me study for my English test?"

And, hearing that, Ryoma had to push himself up and stare at Momo disbelievingly. "Did you really just ask me that?"

"What? It's _hard_," Momo whined. "It makes my _brain_ hurt."

Ryoma sighed, disgusted, and lay back down, covering his face with his arm again. "I wouldn't be surprised if _counting_ made your brain hurt," he muttered lowly.

"Hey!" Momo protested, sitting up indignantly. "I'll have you know I can count just _fine_."

"Up to what? 10?" Ryoma asked, his face still covered by his arm.

"And 20 and 30 and way more. I can even do _math_," Momo said proudly.

Ryoma peeked at him from under his arm and smirked. "1 plus 1?"

"Hey. Who's in the higher math class here? You or me?" Momo pointed at himself proudly. "Me."

Ryoma snorted and let his arm fall back down to cover his eyes. "_Monkeys_ could pass the classes at this school. I wouldn't be so proud."

"But I'm still in the higher math class. _And_ the higher Japanese class."

"_Monkeys_," was all Ryoma said, not needing to say more.

Momo huffed. "Whatever."

There was a comfortable silence for a moment as Momo went back to pulling at the grass and Ryoma relaxed. Then Momo looked over at Ryoma again. "So did you decide?"

Unable to believe this, Ryoma sat up and stared at the older boy. "You gave me _five_ minutes! _Nobody_ can decide that quickly!"

"But I need to _kno–ow_," Momo whined childishly.

"Well then I'm not gonna tell you!" Ryoma said and rolled over, putting his back to Momo. "You should be glad I'm even talking to you," he said angrily, getting comfortable in his new position.

"But _Ech-i-zen_!" Momo whined again, drawing out his name annoyingly.

Ryoma tensed but kept his back to him and tried to ignore the idiot. "Go away."

And smart people would probably know that now was not the time to bother Ryoma, but no one had ever said Momo was smart.

"But Ech-i-zen!" punctuating each syllable with a poke to the back. "Don't ignore me! We need to talk."

"Leave. Me. Alone," Ryoma grit out, the poking driving him insane.

"I think I'm gonna keep poking you until you listen to me." And true to his word, Momo kept on poking him.

Finally Ryoma couldn't take it any more. "Momo-senpai!" he shouted, sitting up suddenly and glaring at the older boy. "Stop it or I _will_ say no."

Momo immediately stopped, looking at Ryoma with big, sad, eyes. "Really?"

"_Yes,_" Ryoma said firmly, more than angry.

"I'll be good," Momo said meekly, holding his hands in his lap.

Ryoma watched him for a moment to make sure he would stay true to his word then turned over again resolutely and lay back down. And for a long while there was blessed silence. Ryoma was almost able to feel thankful when he started to hear the music. Closing his eyes, he cursed in frustration, "Shit. Shit. Shit." Sitting up again, he turned to look at Momo, who was obviously the source.

Momo continued to stare at him with those big, sad, eyes.

"Momo-senpai," Ryoma tried to get his attention. "Momo-senpai," he said again, waving a hand in the other boy's face. But Momo was obviously already lost.

"_You know I can be found sitting home all alone," _Momo started to sing,_ "If you can't come around at least please telephone. Don't be cruel to a heart that's true."_

Ryoma closed his eyes and groaned, hiding his eyes with a hand. And it was one of _those_ songs.

"_Baby if I've made you mad with something I might've said, please just forget my past. The future looks bright ahead," _Momo continued, _"Don't be cruel to a heart that's true. I don't want no other love. Baby it's just you I'm thinking of."_

And, hearing that, Ryoma opened his eyes and regarded Momo almost indifferently. And this was what he actually thought?

"_Don't stop thinking of me. Don't make me feel this way. Come on let me hear you love me. You know what I want you to say," _Momo sang_. "Don't be cruel to a heart that's true. Why should we be apart? I really love you baby, cross my heart."_ Momo's fingers made a cross over his heart.

Ryoma narrowed his eyes at this, actually listening rather closely. Momo really did seem authentic. At the very least, Momo seemed nothing like his many fan-girls with their superficial declarations of love. Ryoma had thought at first that maybe that was all this was, but these songs apparently told the truth. Maybe Momo was for real.

And Momo still continued. _"Let's walk up to the preacher and let us say I do. Then you know you'll have me and I know that I'll have you. Don't be cruel to a heart that's true. I don't want no other love. Baby it's just you I'm thinking of." _

Oh God. And he was talking about marriage. Was he really _that_ serious? Ryoma had some serious thinking to do.

"_Don't be cruel to a heart that's true," _Momo sang on,_ "Don't be cruel to a heart that's true. I don't want no other love. Baby it's just you I'm thinking of."(1)_

The song ended, the music slowly fading out, and Ryoma still watched Momo in consideration as the other boy regained his motor functions and looked this way and that furtively for any other possible audience.

Finally, assured of no other listener, Momo turned back to Ryoma only to find him staring. "What?" Momo asked nervously.

"Nothing," Ryoma said, turning away. Casually, he lay back down, as though nothing had happened, and closed his eyes. "You have something on your face," he told Momo, bored.

."What!" Momo began to wipe at his face furiously, trying to get off that imaginary something.

"It's gone now."

* * *

"Can we talk?" Inui asked, coming up to Kaidoh during lunch, cornering him in an empty classroom.

"You want to _talk_?" Kaidoh asked, almost disbelievingly, "Shouldn't you be busy on the antidote?" Actually truly wondering why Inui wasn't holed up somewhere on campus working on formulas.

Inui frowned. "Don't be snide. It doesn't suit you."

Kaidoh's face seemed to harden and he hissed angrily. "Pssssshhh. I'm not being snide. I was actually wondering. You called off our anniversary to do it, after all. Why aren't you working on it?"

And hearing the accusation, Inui adjusted his glasses, looking down almost uncomfortably. "This was a little more important," he finally said.

Kaidoh crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes. "And what was that?"

"You," Inui said baldly, looking up to apparently to see how Kaidoh would take this.

Kaidoh couldn't help the snort that came out. It was just so ridiculous.

Inui didn't like that reaction. "I'm being serious."

"Well then you're a little too late," Kaidoh told him and Inui stared at him, starting to look worried.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean . . ." Kaidoh stopped and looked away. Did he really want to do this? He thought about the past few days, about the past six months, and he made his decision. Yes. He didn't like it, he hated it, but yes. He hissed softly and for once the singing came at exactly the right moment. "_There's a fine, fine line between a lover and a friend," _he sang quietly, so Inui almost couldn't hear him._ "There's a fine, fine line between realityyy and pretend. And you never know till you reach the top if it was worth the uphill climb. There's a fine, fine line between love and a waste of tiime."_

Kaidoh arms tightened across his chest and he looked down at the floor, clenching his jaw, but seemed to steel himself. _"There's a fine, fine line between a fairytale and a lie," _he sang louder, voice getting stronger._ "And there's a fine, fine line between your wonderful and goodbye. I guess if someone doesn't love you back it isn't such a crime," _Kaidoh took a breath and got even louder._ "But there's a fiiine, fine liiine between loooove and a waste of your tiiiiiiiime."_

He suddenly turned on Inui, glaring._ "And I don't haaave the time to waste on you anymore. I don't think that you even know what you're looking for. For my own san-i-tyyyy I've got to close the dooor and walk away." _He faltered at the reminder._ "Oh-oh" _he sang, looking pained, but then continued quietly,_ "There's a fine, fine line between together and not. And there's a fine, fine line between what you wanted and what you got." _His voice got stronger again as he gained more confidence in his decision._ "You've got to go after the things you want while you're still in your priiiiiiiiiiiime. There's a fine, fine li-i-iine between loooove and a waste of tiiiiiiime."(2) _

He finished slowly then turned to Inui and said firmly, "Good-bye, Inui-senpai. I'll see you at practice." And then he grabbed his lunch and walked out the door.

* * *

"Saa . . ." Fuji said, looking around at the other Regulars as he changed into his practice clothes. "It's so quiet today."

And it was. Everyone seemed so serious and deep in thought. Even Momo and Eiji had forgone their usual antics. Well, to be fair, Momo _had_ tried to incite something but nobody else seemed in the mood.

Eiji and Oishi he knew about, but Momo and Ryoma had seemed to be getting along much better since that morning. And Inui and Kaidoh were never exactly loud, but something was going on there too. Inui kept shooting looks at the other boy, some upset actually visible through his usual calm demeanor, and Kaidoh was rather forcibly ignoring him, going through his locker with a little too much focus.

"Did you sing again?" Fuji asked, turning to Eiji next to him. None of them had sung anything anywhere near where he could hear them yesterday and he was hoping that they would today. He had even bought a voice recorder just for the blackmail material. You never knew when you might need it.

"Hmm?" Coming out of what looked like serious thought, Eiji pulled on his shirt and looked over at him curiously, clearly distracted. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

"I asked if you sang again."

"Oh," Eiji said, busy pulling his shoes out of his locker. He shook his head. "No, I didn't sing." And he didn't appear likely to share any more than that while in the clubhouse so Fuji made a vague noise, nodded, and left it at that.

But by the time break came he was simply too curious to keep quiet and so he sidled up to Inui, the most obviously upset, to ask him what was wrong. "I notice you and Kaidoh aren't talking," he commented mildly, "Did something happen?"

Having been writing something in his notebook, Inui seemed to falter and paused in his notes, having to noticeably get himself back together before beginning to write again. "No."

Sensing a challenge, Fuji smiled. "Are you sure?"

Inui nodded shortly, putting his notebook away and turning to face him calmly. "Yes."

"It's just . . . you're slipping." Fuji knew Inui would know what he was talking about.

But Inui could be stubborn too. "I'm afraid I have no idea what you are talking about."

So something _was_ wrong. Fuji's smile grew just a little bit. "Then you haven't noticed how upset Kaidoh seems?"

Inui's face was carefully blank. "Oh?" He turned in Kaidoh's direction as if to just notice for the first time. The other boy was seated alone on the bench, drinking from his water bottle with a dark scowl on his face. "So he is," voice kept free of all inflection.

"Aren't you going to go talk to him?"

"No," Inui said, turning back to him calmly. "I believe it would be best if he were to deal with this problem by himself."

And now _this_ was interesting. "Even you are not that callous."

"The data it could provide would only be to his benefit."

"But is that really how a good boyfriend would react, though?" Fuji asked, smiling as he continued their careful dance of words.

And that actually seemed to score a direct hit. Inui's carefully crafted mask of calm faltered and for just a moment he looked pained. "I'm afraid there won't be any need for that anymore," he said.

"Oh?" Fuji looked only mildly curious, but inside there was a dangerous calm. He knew what Inui was going to say and this was not good news.

Inui stared at the ground. "He broke up with me," he told Fuji almost as though he still couldn't quite believe it himself.

"But you are going to fix this, I trust?" Fuji asked, starting to get serious. He didn't like it when people other than himself hurt his friends. Even if they did do it to themselves.

And Inui got himself back together, looking up and adjusting his glasses. "Of course," he said simply, turning back to Fuji. "I already have a plan."

Which was good. Fuji smiled in approval and tilted his head pleasantly. "Anything I can help you with?"

"No. I believe it would be best if I were to handle things in my own way."

Smiling again, Fuji nodded agreeably. "That is probably true. I—

"_I often tell myself that we could be more than just friends," _came Eiji's voice, _"I know you think that if we move to soon it would all end. I live in misery when you're not aro-ound. I won't be satisfied till we're taking those vows."_

Shocked, the two team sadists turned suddenly to find Eiji singing. He and Oishi had apparently not quite succeeded in ignoring each other and Eiji was now standing there, singing his heart out.

"_There'll be some love makin', heart breakin', soul shakin' lo-oo-o-o-oove," _Eiji sang. _"Oh love makin', heart breakin', soul shakin'," _he stopped and turned to Oishi intently._ "What's it gonna beeee cause I can't pretend? Don't you wanna beeee more than frie-ends? Hold me tight and don't let go-oo. Dooon't let go-oo. Have the right to lose contro-ol. Dooon't let go-oooo."_

This was just what Fuji had been waiting for. Pleased, Fuji pulled his voice recorder from out of nowhere and nodded his goodbye to Inui, who had taken out his notebook again, before approaching for a better sound. Eiji was his best friend but that didn't mean he was immune to blackmail attempts. It was for his best really.

"_I often fantasize the stars above are watchi-i-ng," _Eiji continued._ "They know my heart and speak to yours like only lovers do. If I could wear your clo-o-oothes I'd pretend I was you and lose contro-ool. There'll be some love makin', heart breakin', soul shakin' lo-oo-o-o-oove. Oh love makin', heart breakin', soul shakin'," _Eiji took a deep breath and prepared for his next bit,_ "Oh-oh-oooh-oh-ooooh yeah!" _Eiji's voice got loud as he wailed, before turning to Oishi again_. "What's it gonna beeee cause I can't pretend? Don't you wanna beeee more than frie-ends? Hold me tight and don't let go-oo. Dooon't let go-oo. Have the right to lose contro-ol. Dooon't let go-oooo."_

Oishi was looking more than embarrassed, obviously hating that Eiji had chosen right then to start singing and most likely just plain uncomfortable with the actual song material. Off to the side, Ryoma just looked bored while Momo grinned widely, obviously loving this.

But Eiji still continued. _"Runnin' in and out my liiife has got me so confuuused. You've got to make the sacrifiiice. Somebody's gotta choo-o-oose. We can make it if we try." _Eiji came up to Oishi and grabbed his hands, face completely serious. _"For the sake of you and I. Together we can make it riii-i-iight." _Eiji's hands tightened around Oishi's and pulled him in tighter. Oishi tried to get away but with no luck._ "What's it gonna beee cause I can't pretend?" _Eiji sang._ "Don't you wanna beee more than frie-ends? Hold me tight and don't let go-oo. Dooon't let go-oo. Have the right to lose contro-ol. Dooon't let go-oooooo." (3) _

The song ended on a long note and Eiji seemed to realize what had just happened. His face turned bright red as he hurriedly dropped Oishi's hands, jumping away quickly and staring at the ground. Oishi obviously wanted the ground to swallow him whole, his whole face red and stubbornly staring off to the right where no one stood. Both carefully avoided the other's eyes.

Fuji chuckled and pressed stop. That had been gold.

"Are you finished?" Tezuka asked, not looking pleased.

"I'm sorry! I couldn't help it!" Eiji cried defensively, turning to him and waving his hands wildly in the air.

Still not looking pleased, but accepting that Eiji truly couldn't have helped it, Tezuka nodded. Besides it was still break. Eiji could do whatever he wanted. And if he wanted to sing then good for him.

And it seemed Oishi couldn't stand the embarrassment of knowing that everybody had witnessed that, ducking his head and muttering, "Excuse me for a minute," before quickly making his exit. Eiji looked a little hurt by this reaction but didn't follow.

And Momo finally couldn't hold it in anymore and started to laugh loudly, slapping his knee and near doubling over.

Ryoma gave the older boy a look and smacked him. Hard. "Shut up, Momo-senpai."

* * *

(1) "Don't Be Cruel" by Elvis Presley

(2) "There's A Fine, Fine Line" from the musical Avenue Q

(3) "Don't Let Go" by EnVogue


	7. The Longest Day: Part 1

This chapter is going to be _long_ so I decided to split it up into two or three smaller chapters. And, sorry, but I can't write Tezuka at all. I tried.

And I wanted to say thank you to speadee, SkySurf, and Darkwolve for reviewing. Thank you!

* * *

- 

Chapter #7: The Longest Day: Part 1

-

It was the next day and Inui had decided to put his plan into action. It admittedly wasn't much of a plan—it basically consisted of finding Kaidoh and asking him _why_, maybe explaining to him logically why it was unreasonable to break-up while he was at it—but it was all he had. In truth it had about a 24.4 percent chance of working but he had a 100 percent chance of being miserable without Kaidoh so he was taking the chance.

Sitting hunched down behind a group of bushes lining the path Kaidoh normally took to school, Inui peered over the top of the foliage and waited patiently. It took Kaidoh approximately 11 minutes to reach this point from his house and he always left home at exactly 6:25 AM. Therefore Kaidoh should be coming along any minute now.

And, true to form, Kaidoh soon appeared in the distance, coming closer. Inui waited until he was walking by Inui's chosen bush before attacking.

"Kaidoh," Inui greeted, suddenly appearing next to the other boy.

Obviously startled, Kaidoh jumped and whipped around in shock, wide-eyed. "Inui-senpai! What – what are you doing here?"

Inui nodded pleasantly but didn't answer the question. "Good morning."

Shock dying down, Kaidoh narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

Inui put on a confused look. "Whatever makes you think I am doing something?"

"You have that look," Kaidoh said, narrowing his eyes at him, still obviously suspicious.

Now Inui was genuinely confused. "What look?" he asked.

"You always have this look on your face whenever you're up to something. Kind of like you have a secret that only you know."

Inui frowned, unable to avoid getting caught up in the details. "Wouldn't that be the point of a secret?"

Kaidoh was unimpressed by this, giving him a look and asking, "What do you want?"

Inui forgot his nitpicking instantly and tried for innocent, which was a really weird look on his face. "Maybe I simply wished to walk with you to school."

Kaidoh crossed his arms over his chest and just looked at Inui. "Really," he said, deadpan.

"Yes," Inui said calmly, as though this were completely common and acceptable. "I did. Is that against the law?"

"I thought I told you I wanted nothing to do with you. At least not like that."

Inui blinked. "Actually you told me nothing of the sort." Which really was true when you thought about it. Inui wasn't lying. It had been heavily implied, but Inui was ignoring that.

"Well that's what I meant," Kaidoh said, obviously getting more and more irritated, now glaring at him. "So go away."

"I can't."

"And why not?" Kaidoh growled, his anger only increasing as he let his arms drop back to his sides.

"We are both heading in the same direction," Inui said simply, logically, and then looked at his watch. 20 minutes until morning practice started and they still had a ways to go. He looked back up at Kaidoh. "We should go."

Kaidoh scowled, backing up a step. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

Inui tilted his head curiously, pretending to not understand. "You have to go to school, do you not?"

"That doesn't mean I have to go with _you, _senpai," a strange mix of rude and polite, 100 percent Kaidoh, "I can go some other way."

"Any other way would be 34 percent less efficient and you don't want to be late," Inui told him reasonably but then added after a pause, "Would it really be so bad?" Because would it? This was a test. Was what Inui did really that bad? That unforgivable?

Kaidoh hesitated, looking back in the direction of the other route to school then back at Inui, obviously undecided. Inui held his breath, waiting to see if Kaidoh's practical side would win out over his reluctance. Because if it didn't then Inui was in trouble, but if it did then things were still fixable. He prayed things were still fixable.

And approximately 67 painful seconds later, Kaidoh finally hissed and started walking again. He'd obviously decided to keep going along this path. Which was a good sign, a very good sign. Kaidoh obviously wasn't at the point that he would purposely make his life harder just to avoid being in the same space as Inui. That was good.

Inui started breathing again, more than relieved. Allowing himself a small smile, he followed, catching up to the other boy in a few quick steps.

Now was the chance for Inui to ask his question, but he wanted to lull Kaidoh into a false sense of security before he did so he waited approximately five minutes before speaking again.

"I had a question."

Having been watching his feet intently and scowling for the last five minutes, Kaidoh looked up with narrow eyes. "What?" he asked suspiciously, thankfully giving Inui a chance. There had only been a 31 percent chance that he would.

"I simply wished to discover the reason why you broke up with me," Inui said, casually observing his surroundings as they walked, carefully not looking at the other boy.

Kaidoh hissed as his expression darkened, looking back down at his feet.

Inui turned to him, acting as casual as he could. "You never did tell me the reason."

He hadn't and Kaidoh hissed again, hunching his shoulders and shoving his hands in his pockets, obviously uncomfortable.

"Well?" Inui asked.

There was a long pause before Kaidoh finally muttered lowly, "There were reasons." Not really giving an answer.

"And those were?" Inui prompted.

Kaidoh looked up from the sidewalk and searched the surroundings before turning to Inui. "Do we really have to do this here?"

"If I had thought you would answer me anywhere else I would have chosen elsewhere." Inui had actually thought long and hard about the best place to corner Kaidoh and had finally decided on this one, deciding Kaidoh would be the most unprepared and thus most likely to give him his answer.

Kaidoh hissed yet again, sounding irritated but showing just how uncomfortable he was with this conversation. He had never been very good at emotional discussions. Of course neither had Inui, but Inui was at least trying. It was necessary to the progress of their relationship.

Because they did still have a relationship. If things were still fixable then Inui wasn't giving up that easily.

Inui waited patiently for Kaidoh to answer, which he finally did approximately 1 minute 49 seconds later. "Alright," Kaidoh said, stopping in his path to give Inui his full attention, obviously deciding to cooperate and gaining confidence from somewhere within him "You want reasons?" Kaidoh asked, regarding Inui with a scowl, and then began listing in cold detail, "You're never around. You're always busy. You don't listen to me. You break our dates. You're off in your own world whenever we _are_ together. You take me for granted. Everything is always about you. Your projects. Your stress. Your life. You don't care about anything but your stupid data and your fucking juice. I feel alone when I'm with you and I'm starting to feel like I'm just some kind of object to you, one that you can take out and study and use for sex whenever you want. I'm starting to doubt that you actually still love me," Kaidoh finally ended, demanding, "Is that enough reasons for you?"

Shocked by the multitude of reasons, Inui simply stared. He hadn't expected so many. But then he should have known better than to think Kaidoh would make as big a decision as breaking up with him without good reason.

And seeing that he wasn't going to get a response, Kaidoh hissed irritably and stomped off.

For the nth time in so many days, Inui was left staring after him.

* * *

The bike ride to school had been a quiet one. But it hadn't been an awkward silence, just a silence. 

Ryoma had always enjoyed his and Momo's quiet moments. A break from hearing Momo's loud voice going on and on about nothing was always good, plus it was just nice to know that they didn't need to talk to spend time together.

But then they reached the school and Momo had to break it.

"So have you thought about it?" Momo asked, his head down as he parked and chained his bike to the bike rack.

Having been waiting for Momo to finish, watching the scenery, Ryoma turned back to Momo with narrow eyes. Why was he bringing that up again? "I thought I told you I needed more time."

Momo stood up straight, grabbing his tennis bag from the ground and throwing it over his shoulder. Then turned, looking down at Ryoma seriously as he started to walk into the school. "Yeah. And I gave you more time."

Ryoma matched his steps, glaring up at him. "You gave me a night."

"Two nights," Momo corrected, holding up two fingers, "You should have an answer by now."

"Well, I don't."

Momo looked disappointed in him, shoulders dropping. "Echizen! Are you even trying?"

And had he actually just asked that? Ryoma glared and started to walk ahead, not saying anything.

"Hey!" Momo protested, following behind. "Hey, are you?"

Ryoma ignored him and kept on walking. If Momo was going to keep asking that same question over and over again then maybe Ryoma just wouldn't talk to him for awhile.

* * *

Things, if anything, had only gotten tenser at morning practice. Eiji and Oishi were the same, Oishi avoiding all Eiji's attempts to talk to him, but both Kaidoh and Ryoma seemed angry while Momo kept shooting Ryoma these looks. But Inui was the worst, walking around with an almost lost look on his face. Inui was never lost. 

These songs were creating so much pain and suffering. Fuji, personally, loved it. It was all so amusing. But the consequences were starting to get serious and things were taking just a little too long to be settled.

He had to do something.

"No."

Fuji turned to Tezuka with a feigned look of semi-confusion on his face. "No, what?"

"No to whatever you're thinking," Tezuka said, looking down at him sternly, "Don't meddle."

"Why would you think I'd do such a thing?" Fuji asked, putting a hand to his chest and trying to look hurt by the comment. "I'm hurt."

Tezuka was unimpressed by his acting skills. "They will figure things out on their own. I don't want you meddling."

Fuji gave up pretending he didn't know what Tezuka was talking about and smiled. "But if I just gave them a little nudge."

"No. No nudge. No nothing."

"Why not?" Fuji asked a little curiously, still smiling, "A little nudge couldn't hurt them."

"They don't need your help," Tezuka said, the poor dense soul. He clearly wasn't seeing the situation for what it was. The others might as well have been crying out for some Fuji-style help. But that was okay. He was a good-looking dense soul. Fuji would keep him, despite his faults.

"If you say so." Fuji smiled and relented. Or at least he seemed to relent. He was already plotting away inside his mind. Maybe if he told Eiji _that_ . . . Or made Momo do _that_ . . .

Tezuka frowned. He knew Fuji too well to believe he would give up that easily. "Syuusuke," Tezuka using Fuji's first name in a public place to show just how serious he was, "I don't want you interfering."

"And I won't," Fuji said, coming out of his musing and smiling up at Tezuka just a little too innocently.

Which meant he would. Tezuka's frown deepened, not pleased. But he had already made his protests known. He couldn't do anything more than that.

Crossing his arms over his chest, he turned back to the courts, where Oishi and Kaidoh were playing a game. He and Fuji had finished their respective games a while ago and now the club was just waiting on the game before him to end. To the side, Tezuka could see Momo trying to get Ryoma to speak to him again to no avail, while Eiji sat on the bench with his water bottle and Inui watched Oishi and Kaidoh's game a little too intensely.

So far the dramatics with the singing and the resulting consequences had affected the Regulars' games more than Tezuka liked. Momo and Oishi seemed distracted, Kaidoh was using more power than finesse, and, more recently, Inui was noticeably off on his calculations, having to run a few feet to reach balls he should have already expected. It was frustrating, but Tezuka wouldn't have Fuji making it worse. Distracted players weren't good players and they had a tournament coming up.

He made a mental note to ask Inui how the antidote was coming. It had better be coming soon or Inui would be running more laps than he already had for starting the whole problem.

"It would be pointless anyway," he added, feeling the need to try at least one more time for the good of the team.

"Hmmm?" coming out of thought, Fuji looked up at him curiously, wondering what he meant.

"With those songs the situation can change in a minute, before you can even begin any plan. Plus you are not always privy to the songs that are sung when you're not around."

Fuji looked at him, considering that, and then turned back to the courts. That was true. He'd have to plan around that.

* * *

Oishi was avoiding him. Eiji knew that because when he'd gotten to the clubhouse that morning Oishi hadn't been there and when he'd gotten out onto the courts Oishi hadn't even looked at him. Then all throughout morning practice Oishi had avoided his eyes, not even talking to him during break when Eiji had tried to get his attention, and now it was lunchtime and Oishi was nowhere to be found. 

It was irritating, but Eiji was starting to get used to it. This was the second day in a row after all. He sighed, looking up at the sun.

Why couldn't Oishi just listen to him? Why was he so against at least _trying_?

Tearing his eyes away from the sky, Eiji looked around his surroundings. He was somewhere at the back of the school. Not many students ever came back here and he'd thought Oishi would come here for that exact reason. Apparently not.

But, spotting a figure lying in the shade of a tree some ways away, Eiji perked up. Was that Oishi?

Closer inspection said no. It was just Ryoma.

Eiji sighed again, disappointed, but walked over to say hello anyway. "Ochibi," he said with a noticeable lack of his usual enthusiasm, dropping down onto the grass next to the reclining figure. He looked over at the other boy and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Ryoma peeked open his eyes, but then closed them again. "Kikumaru-senpai," he greeted, not answering his question.

"Don't you and Momo usually eat lunch together?" Eiji asked, somewhat curious about that. Was Ryoma avoiding Momo again? He knew the first-year hadn't been speaking to Momo during practice, but he'd thought they would have made up by now.

Hands behind his head, Ryoma shrugged. "Sometimes."

But they weren't today and Eiji had an idea on why that was. "You know if you keep ignoring him, he might stop coming around completely."

"Good," Ryoma said, his eyes still closed, "Maybe then he'll stop bothering me."

Eiji frowned. "You don't really mean that."

Ryoma peeked one eye open. "Don't I?"

"No." Eiji was sure of it. "You don't." Eiji might not know if Ryoma loved Momo like Momo loved him, but he did know that Ryoma cared about the older boy in _some _way. "Momo's your best friend. He deserves for you to actually talk to him."

At this, Ryoma opened both eyes and regarded Eiji almost indifferently. "And I told him I would."

"But have you?" Eiji asked. He knew it really wasn't any of his business, but he really wanted Momo and Ryoma to work out and maybe Ryoma just needed a little help. People tended to forget that Ryoma was young and rather dense. He needed someone to point out the obvious, someone to help guide him along the relationship path. And who knows? Maybe all Ryoma needed was a little push and he and Momo would be making out in closets with the rest of the school.

"I told him I would once I've actually made a decision," Ryoma amended.

A decision? Eiji blinked and tilted his head curiously. "A decision about what?" He wasn't really up to date on Ryoma's actual situation, being a little too busy with his own situation with Oishi. He hadn't known that there was a decision to be made. He'd thought Ryoma was just plain ignoring Momo and any chance of a relationship.

Ryoma shrugged again, closing his eyes and settling back in the grass. "Things."

Eiji pouted. He wanted to know. "Oh, come on, Ochibi. Tell me! I can help."

Ryoma said nothing, seemingly ignoring him.

Eiji frowned and got serious. "As your senpai, I order you to tell me."

That made Ryoma open his eyes, but he looked almost amused, raising a brow. "You order me?"

"Yes," Eiji said, completely serious. "I order you."

Ryoma smirked, still amused, but didn't say anything.

That not working, Eiji decided to try begging. "Oh come _on_, Ochibi. Please?" Eiji leaned forward, holding his clasped hands before him beseechingly. "_Tell_ me. I wanna help."

Ryoma snorted and looked away.

"_Ochibi,_" Eiji whined, his face nearly in the grass, clasped hands held above his head.

Ryoma made an irritated sound, but something must have made Ryoma change his mind because at this he sat up and turned back to Eiji. "Alright. Alright. I'll tell you."

Eiji shot up straight, raising his arms above his head triumphantly with a wide grin on his face. "Yeah!" Letting his arms drop back down to his side, Eiji turned to Ryoma excitably. "Alright. Tell me!" He couldn't believe Ryoma was actually going to tell him.

Ryoma rolled his eyes but got comfortable on the grass, pulling one leg in. "The idiot has the idea that we could actually be together. You know, as a _couple_," looking almost disgusted with the word, "I told him I'd tell him my answer when I had it but now he won't stop _bothering _me about it."

"And are you actually thinking about it?" Eiji asked, settling down from his excitement.

"Of course," Ryoma said, looking and sounding annoyed that he would even ask.

"Well, he's probably just worried that you aren't."

"Fine, but does he have to ask me that _every_ time he sees me?" Ryoma asked irritably.

Eiji wasn't going to say anything to that. He had the idea that yes, Momo did, or else Ryoma wouldn't think about it at all. This way it was kept in his mind whether Ryoma liked it or not. "Do you have any idea what you're going to say?" Eiji asked instead.

Ryoma pulled his leg in tighter and scowled at the grass beneath them. "No."

"Well, I think you should say yes."

Ryoma looked up sharply to stare at him, seeming shocked. "What?"

"I think you should do it," Eiji repeated.

Ryoma looked totally confused. "But . . . why?"

Eiji shrugged. "Well, why not? You obviously have no problem with the gay-thing. And who knows? You may not be in love now, but who says you can't be in love later?"

"So . . ." Ryoma was obviously trying to digest this, eyes narrowing at Eiji as he worked it through his mind. "So you think I should give Momo-senpai a chance?"

Smiling widely, Eiji nodded his head encouragingly. "Yeah!"

"But . . ." Ryoma looked around their surroundings then leaned forward seriously. Obviously whatever he had to say would change the entire situation. "But it's Momo-senpai," he nearly whispered.

Having leaned in to hear that, Eiji leaned back and blinked, confused by the significance. "So?"

"So?" Ryoma asked as though it should be obvious. "So, it's _Momo-senpai_," putting even more emphasis on the name, like it should mean something.

Totally lost, Eiji only blinked again. "Yeah . . ." he said slowly, "I know. That's kind of the point."

Ryoma huffed irritably. "No. No, you don't get it," he said, shaking his head. "I mean, it's _Momo-senpai_. He's not _supposed_ to like me like that."

_Oh_. That was the problem. Easily solved. "Except for the fact that he does," Eiji said, nodding his head knowledgeably. "And he has for a long, _long_, time."

Ryoma's eyes narrowed at him. "You knew?"

"_Everyone_ knew," Eiji stressed, leaning forward to impart that bit of info.

"_I_ didn't know."

"Well . . ." Eiji hesitated, leaning back. How do you tell a person that that's because they are as dense as a brick? Maybe if he reworded it. "Sometimes when we're in the middle of things we can't see what seems obvious to the people on the outside. It's not really your fault." Which was stretching the idea of 'rewording' a little far, but it seemed safe enough.

"Well, okay," Ryoma seemed satisfied with it at least, the boy looking down at his lap in apparent consideration. Then he looked up again, eyes narrow. "But you really think I should say yes?"

Eiji nodded, smiling. "Uh-huh."

"But . . ." Ryoma started then paused, looking down at his lap again. Apparently there was even more things stopping him. And apparently they were embarrassing things, Ryoma's cheeks starting to color as he seemed to try to work up the courage to ask. Eiji leaned forward, eager to hear and help. Whatever embarrassed a person like Ryoma had to be good.

"But . . . ?" Eiji prompted encouragingly.

And finally Ryoma seemed to work up the courage, even if he still couldn't look Eiji in the eye when he said it. His face turned even redder and he almost nervously began to pick at the grass. "But what about when—

The school bell rang.

Ryoma jumped, looking up and over at the school, startled out of whatever thought he'd been in.

"But what about when what?" Eiji asked, wanting him to finish his thought.

"Nothing." Ryoma shook his head and started to stand up. Brushing off his pants, he nodded at Eiji. "Thank you, senpai." And started to walk back into the school.

"What?! No!" Eiji jumped up and hurried after him. "Wait! We still have a few more minutes. That's just the warning bell."

Ryoma shook his head again, continuing on his way to class. "It was nothing."

"Ochibi!" But Ryoma was done talking. The moment was over.

Dammit. Eiji sulked, disappointed. Now he'd never know what Ryoma was going to say.

* * *

Ryoma wouldn't even look at him. Momo didn't know what had happened between the time he'd seen him that morning and this afternoon, but whatever it was Momo didn't like it. Things, if anything, had only gotten worse. 

He'd just finished his practice match against Inui—he'd lost—and Momo threw himself onto the bench in a huff, putting his head in his hands.

"Watch it!" Kaidoh growled, hands grabbing hold of the bench. Apparently Momo had rattled the bench when he'd flung himself down.

Momo looked up to give Kaidoh a dirty look. "I'm really _not_ in the mood for you, Mamushi."

"You want to say that again?" Kaidoh growled, standing up.

"I'd _love_ to," Momo spat sarcastically, standing up as well. "I'm not," he spoke slowly and clearly in Kaidoh's face, "In the mood. For you," drawing out the last word, pointing at the other boy, "Ma," emphasizing the syllables of the name, poking Kaidoh in the shoulder. "Mu," another poke, "Shi," and finishing with a final shove.

Kaidoh was pushed back a step, but stopped himself. His expression had been darkening as Momo spoke, face hardening and eyes narrowing, but before he could say anything Momo began to sing.

"_Well first of all_," Momo sang angrily, coming closer, "_I'd like to say fuck off_."

"Fuck off?" Kaidoh repeated, glaring at the other boy.

Momo nodded angrily and affirmed, "Fuck off."

"Fuck off!" Voices appeared out of thin air. Kind of like that one time with Ryoma. But he ignored them.

"_If you don't get it why don't you go shove your head back up your ass_?" Momo shoved Kaidoh aggressively, pushing the other boy back a step. Kaidoh glared at him, but otherwise did nothing in return and Momo continued angrily, "_Don't waste my time. I don't need your opinion. No-o. 'Cause you don't know what it's like. You don't know what it's like. You don't know what it's like to be like me._" Momo pushed Kaidoh back another step, glaring as he finished, "_You don't know so keep your mouth shut._"

Momo could hear the music playing in the background, what sounded like trumpets playing, and thought it was over, but then Kaidoh came back at him.

"_Well this may come as kind of a surprise_," Kaidoh spat, sounding almost sarcastic. Momo hadn't thought the Mamushi could do that.

"Surprise?" Momo echoed, still glaring at the other boy.

"Surprise," Kaidoh affirmed with an angry nod.

"Surprise!" the voices shouted, but, again, Momo ignored them. It wasn't healthy to pay too much attention to the voices in your head.

"_I don't like you_," Kaidoh sang angrily, "_And I don't care what you think about what I do_." Kaidoh shoved him back aggressively and Momo just let him. It was weird. "_And most of all_," Kaidoh continued, "_I don't need your opinion. No-o. 'Cause you don't know what it's like. You don't know what it's like. You don't know what it's like to be like me_," Kaidoh sang, gesturing at himself, "_You don't know so keep your mouth shut_." (1)

And the music stopped with one last final trumpet and Momo and Kaidoh were left glaring at each other.

"Mamushi," Momo taunted and Kaidoh's eyes narrowed even further.

"Idiot," Kaidoh snarled back, coming closer.

"Mamushi," Momo repeated, now almost in Kaidoh's face. Why go for originality when the classics worked so well?

Free hand grabbing Momo by the shirt and pulling him closer, Kaidoh held up his fist threateningly and spat, "_Bastard_.".

"Stop it!" Oishi ordered, suddenly coming in between the two and pushing them apart, "You two need to stop," Kaidoh nearly got free and Oishi had to grab for him again, "_fighting_," Oishi finished, focusing on holding an angry Kaidoh back. He grunted one of Kaidoh's limbs hit him in the chest, almost losing hold of the younger boy again. Seeing him struggling, Eiji hurried over to help, grabbing onto Kaidoh's other side and the two successfully got the younger boy contained, though he still struggled against their hold.

Nobody holding onto him, Momo only made things worse by sticking out his tongue and making faces at the angry boy, mocking him and his struggle to get free.

"Momo!" Oishi said angrily, glaring at the younger boy when this only made Kaidoh struggle all the harder. "Stop that!"

Momo immediately stopped, trying and failing to look innocent.

And apparently getting that he wasn't going to be getting free, Kaidoh finally stopped struggling though he was still obviously angry. Cautiously, Oishi and Eiji let him go, stepping back slowly. Hands curled into fists and a dark look on his face, glaring heatedly at Momo, Kaidoh still stayed calm.

"Good," Oishi said, nodding approvingly, then turned to face both second-years. "Now I know this situation with the juice has got everybody worked up but that doesn't mean that you two can just attack each other like that."

Momo started to protest. "But I didn't—!"

"No, Momo," Oishi cut in, giving him a stern look, "You're just as responsible as Kaidoh. You shouldn't have been provoking him."

"He still started it!" Momo tried, pointing at the other boy accusingly. He could admit, to himself if no one else, that maybe this wasn't exactly true, but who really cared? As long as the Mamushi got in trouble.

"It doesn't matter who started it. What matters is that you were both still involved."

Giving it up, Momo's shoulders dropped and he sighed heavily. "Fine. How many laps?"

"I don't know." Obviously none too pleased with him, Oishi turned to Tezuka to ask, "How many?"

"50."

Oishi nodded and turned back to the two second-years to tell them, "50."

Momo sighed again, but didn't protest and began running his laps. This day just kept getting better and better.

* * *

TBC . . . 

(1) "Fuck Off Song" by Reel Big Fish


	8. The Longest Day: Part 2

I just wanted to thank SkySurf for reviewing. Thanks!

* * *

-

Chapter #8: The Longest Day: Part 2

-

"Oh come _on_, Echizen. I'm over here. Look at me."

It was later, after practice, and everyone was in the locker room getting changed out of their practice clothes. Momo was in the middle of his fourth attempt that practice to get Ryoma to look at him, speak to him, and Ryoma was still being stubborn. It was starting to get on everyone's nerves.

"Come on," Momo continued, not even started on changing out of his practice clothes. He was too busy trying to get Ryoma to pay attention to him. He waved a hand in front of Ryoma's face, hoping to get his attention. "Just look at me once. Once. That's all I ask. Once."

"_Ochibi_," Eiji whined pitifully, eyes closed as he leaned his head against his locker. "Just look at him. _Please_."

"_Fine_," Ryoma said angrily, roughly pulling off his shoes and getting to his feet. Shoes in hand, he turned to Momo and glared at him. "There," he snapped, "I looked at you. Now go away." Looking away, Ryoma opened his locker and shoved his shoes inside, getting out his shirt.

"That wasn't a look," Momo said, "And I'm not going away until you talk to me too."

Eiji groaned, sounding like he was in pain, and began to slowly beat his head again his locker. They weren't being cute anymore.

"Go _away_, Momo-senpai."

"Not until you pay attention to me."

"I'm not going to pay attention to you if all you do is keep bugging me."

"Yeah, well, you're not gonna pay attention to me if I let it go either so deal. You need to make a decision already."

"Stop," thump, "Talking," thump. "Stop," thump, "Talking," thump.

Sensing that everybody was starting to get irritated and wanting Eiji to stop hitting his head, Oishi made an attempt to stop them. "Momo," he broke in gently, "Why don't you just go get changed?"

Momo waved a hand at Oishi impatiently. "Not right now. I'm busy," he said then turned back to Ryoma, "Echizen—

"No, Momo," Oishi said, determined to stop this, "I really think you should get dressed now. Why don't you leave Echizen alone for a little while and maybe then he'll talk to you again."

"Yeah, Momo-senpai," Ryoma said, turning to glare at him irritably, "Listen to Oishi-senpai."

"No!" Momo was determined. "I'm not leaving you alone. I _know_ you. If I don't bug you every step of the way you won't think about it and you _need_ to think about it."

Ryoma was starting to get frustrated. "I'll think about it! Just leave me alone while I do it."

"And how long are you going to take, huh? Huh? The next week? The next year? I need an answer some time this decade!"

"It's been _two _days. That's hardly a decade, Momo-senpai."

Clearly Oishi didn't think so either. "Yes, Momo. Maybe you should give him a little more time. Just . . . step back for a little while, okay?"

But Momo was adamant. "No. He needs to decide right now. Right here. With everyone watching."

Ryoma stared at him, mouth hanging open a bit, unable to believe this. "I can't just decide like that. You can't make me."

"Oh, come on, Ochibi," Eiji said, pulling himself away from his head-thumping and getting into the fray. "It's not that hard. Remember what we talked about?"

Ryoma turned to stare at Eiji, still unable to believe this.

Eiji smiled encouragingly, gesturing for him to go on. "Just say it. One little word and this is all over."

"Eiji . . ." Oishi said, turning to stare at his doubles partner in disbelief. "You can't force Echizen to make a decision he doesn't want to."

"You don't even know what the decision is about," Eiji snapped back, clearly not liking that he was essentially being reprimanded. "It's really not that hard."

"Well, if it's about what I think it's about then yes. It is that hard," Oishi said, starting to get irritated.

"It's one little word."

"It's a big decision!"

"You just don't wanna make it because it freaks you out," Eiji said, the line between the Momo-Ryoma situation and his own beginning to blur. "Admit it. You're afraid!"

"It's a big decision!" Oishi repeated, not admitting it but not denying it either.

"Yeah. See!" Ryoma exclaimed, turning to Momo and pointing at Oishi as though he had answered everything. "He gets it!"

Momo snorted, unimpressed. "He's also been running away from Kikumaru-senpai for _years_. Do you want us to be like _them_?"

Eiji and Oishi forgot their own developing fight to turn to Momo, insulted. "Hey!" Eiji shouted. "Leave us out of this!"

"Sorry, senpai," Momo said, waving his hands in apology but not sounding very sorry, "Just making a point."

"Yeah, well, make your point away from ours," Eiji said, still insulted.

"Eiji, that doesn't even make sense," Oishi said patiently.

"And what do you know about making sense?" Eiji snapped as he turned back to glare at Oishi, still irritated with his partner. Oishi had been avoiding him and putting down what they could have together for too long and it really was starting to get on Eiji's nerves. He'd spent the entire day trying to get Oishi's attention. Who was he to tell him what to do or say?

"And who _do_ you want us to be like?" Ryoma asked Momo, bringing them back on point. "Hojo and that crazy girl? You just want sex!"

"What!"

Ryoma nodded sharply. "That's all you want. Sex!"

"What!" Momo just couldn't believe this. He took a step back and stared wide-eyed at Ryoma. "_That's_ what you think of me?"

"Well, _don't_ you?"

"No!" Momo denied loudly.

Ryoma scoffed at his answer and crossed his arms over his chest, turning away. "Right."

"Well, okay, _fine,_" Momo allowed, sounding annoyed, "I do. But _sometime_. I don't need it right _now_. And it's not like—"

"See?" Ryoma interrupted, not really listening past what he wanted to hear. "Sex! That's all he wants."

"Ochibi!" Eiji protested, putting his back to Oishi. He'd deal with him later. "You're not even listening to him."

"I don't need to."

"Yeah, well," Momo struggled for a comeback, coming up with, "At least I'm not asexual!"

Ryoma snorted, not insulted in the least. "Just because I don't hump everything that moves—

"Hey!" Momo protested, looking insulted. "I don't hump _every_thing."

"But you do hump most things."

"Can we please stop talking about humping?" Oishi asked pleadingly, looking embarrassed.

"Oh, is this gay talk too much for you?" Eiji asked snidely.

"We're in a public place!"

"So? Nobody cares." At least Eiji didn't care. He turned to Kaidoh, who had been carefully keeping out of the fight, head down and focusing intently on tying his shoes. "Do you care?"

Kaidoh noticeably cursed the fact that he was still there. Keeping his head carefully down, he quickly shook his head and went back to tying his shoes with a single minded focus. He couldn't get them tied fast enough. He didn't want anything to do with the huge blow-out that was going to be taking place in the clubhouse at any minute.

His point proven, Eiji turned back to Oishi. "See?"

"Well, _I_ care," Oishi said.

"You only care 'cause of your homophobia."

Momo looked surprised. "Oishi-senpai's a homophobe?"

"No!" Oishi said, turning to Momo to deny everything. "I'm not! Really!"

Eiji put his hand to his mouth and stage-whispered loudly to Momo, "He is."

"Eiji!" Oishi protested as he turned to him with wide-eyes, unable to believe that Eiji would say such a thing. Again. As if the first time hadn't been bad enough.

Eiji turned back to him and blinked as though he'd said nothing wrong. "What?"

"You can't just go around saying things like that. People will get the wrong idea."

"Or the right idea."

Ryoma sighed and rubbed his brow wearily. "You idiot," he said to Momo, "Oishi-senpai's not a homophobe."

Momo turned to him with a glare. "Well, I didn't really think he was. Guess I'm not as stupid as you think I am, huh?"

Ryoma shook his head tiredly. He was getting sick of this fighting. "You'll always be an idiot."

"Yeah," Momo said, crossing his arms and looking away, still a little insulted and hurt from previous comments. "And apparently a pervert too."

Ryoma looked at him, not going to apologize, and said simply, "Yeah."

Shoes tied, Kaidoh took this time to grab his bag and run for the door. Done changing into his street clothes, Fuji simply sat back and continued watching, a small frown on his face as he took everything in and plotted. Inui sat on the bench with his head in his hands, seemingly ignoring everybody.

Eiji and Oishi were still busy fighting with each other. "I'm not a homophobe!" Oishi declared loudly.

"Then you're just a chicken!" Eiji said.

"Is wanting some time such a big crime?" Oishi asked, getting exasperated.

"It is when you take _too_ long," Eiji replied then turned to Momo for help. "Momo agrees with me, don't you?"

"Yeah!" Momo said enthusiastically.

"It's been _two _days," Ryoma put in again, obviously irritated.

"Two days is hardly a long time," Oishi agreed.

"Can't you wait at least one more day?" Ryoma asked, frowning as he looked to Momo.

"No," Momo said firmly, "I want an answer now!" Jabbing a finger at the ground as he said this.

"Well, I don't _have_ an answer now," Ryoma said irritably, "Go away for a little while and maybe I will then."

"No." Momo shook his head, holding his ground. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

"You think this is easy?"

"Momo," Osihi said, coming to Ryoma's defense, "You have to understand. This is a big decision. He needs time."

"But it's not a big decision," Eiji said. "It's just one little word."

Oishi turned to him, Eiji's insistence on the easiness of the decision irritating him. "One little word that will change his life forever. He won't be able to go back. Everything will change."

Eiji rolled his eyes. "You're being over-dramatic."

Oishi frowned. "It's actually called fore-thought. Being rational."

Eiji's eyes snapped back to glare. "And are you saying that I'm not rational?"

"Kikumaru-senpai is being perfectly rational," Momo jumped in to help. "It's you and Echizen who are being difficult."

"You're the difficult one," Ryoma snapped, glaring. "Always going on and on about stupid things. Making me listen to your constant monkey chatter."

Oh so they were getting personal now. Well Momo could do that too. "Well _one_ of us has to talk and it's sure as hell not gonna be you. All you talk about is tennis. Has anyone ever told you that you're boring as hell?"

"You _like_ tennis."

"Not to the scary point that you do, Mr. Tennis-Obsessed. Get a life, man."

"Oh and _you_ have a life? Constantly following me around. Making me do things I don't want to do."

"Somebody has to. You need a guardian to make sure you don't accidentally get your stupid self killed one of these days."

Ryoma glared, not liking the insinuation that he couldn't take care of himself. "I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, you'd think so, huh? But no. Do you know how many fights I've had to step in and stop for you?" Momo went on to answer his own question before Ryoma could say anything, "Hundreds."

Ryoma didn't know what Momo was talking about and that irritated him. "What fights?" he asked angrily.

"And you don't even notice!" Momo said, throwing his hands up in frustration. "God, man, how dense are you?"

Ryoma opened his mouth to reply but Oishi broke in before he could begin. "Maybe we should all just settle down," Oishi said, making a 'calm-down' motion. "We don't want to say anything that we don't mean."

"Oh, no worries there," Momo said, crossing his arms over his chest again and glaring at Ryoma, "I've meant everything I've said."

"Well, so have I," Ryoma snapped, glaring back at the older boy.

"And you should just leave them alone," Eiji told Oishi irritably, "Deal with your own issues before sticking your nose in everybody else's business."

"I'm not sticking my nose in their business," Oishi said, getting annoyed again as he turned back to Eiji, "I'm—

"Sticking your nose in their business," Eiji finished for him, glaring. "Leave them alone."

"You're one to talk," Oishi snapped back. "Trying to get Echizen to make a decision he doesn't want to make."

"I'm encouraging him. I'm not telling him to do anything he doesn't already want to do."

"You're pressuring him," Oishi corrected. "You're pushing him into something too fast."

"Yeah, well, if he went at your pace then they'd finally get somewhere by the time they were old and wrinkly, sitting in rocking chairs at the retirement home. You want him to be a slug just like you." Eiji knew that he and Oishi were really reading their own situation into Momo and Ryoma's situation, but he didn't care. Oishi was being annoying and hard-headed. He deserved to be snapped at.

"I'm not a slug," Oishi said, clearly getting more and more annoyed. "I'm cautious. I actually look at the consequences of my actions."

"And I don't?" Eiji asked, insulted.

"I didn't say that," Oishi said.

"But you implied it. You're saying that I don't think about things. That I'm an idiot."

"I didn't say that," Oishi repeated. "You said that all on your own."

"Well, I _do_ think about things, okay? I just don't think everybody's out to get me like you do."

"I don't think everybody is out to get me," Oishi said, obviously straining to stay patient and calm. "I just think that there are some bad people in this world and that we should do our best to avoid putting ourselves in situations where we have to deal with them hurting us.

"Key word being 'some'," Eiji said. "_Some_," he repeated with emphasis. "Not all. _Some_," he said again.

Oishi closed his eyes and took a deep breath in and out slowly, trying to stay calm. "And I agree with you," he finally said past clenched teeth.

"Good," Eiji snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Fine," Oishi said angrily, opening his eyes to glare.

Eiji 'hmmph'd' and turned away, still angry and not wanting to look at Oishi anymore. Oishi barely refrained from rolling his eyes at Eiji's actions and turned to Momo and Ryoma, who had stopped glaring at each other and were watching Eiji and Oishi fight almost curiously. Oishi had to admit it probably was a strange sight to see him and Eiji fighting and he was almost embarrassed to have been caught in the act. He felt so childish.

He tried to smile and ignore the last few minutes of his life completely. "I think it's about time we all went home, don't you?"

Momo and Ryoma said nothing, watching him, but then Ryoma turned to Momo and said clearly, "I'm not going home with you."

"Oh come _on_," Momo said, turning to him and looking disappointed, "You _always_ go home with me."

"That was when you weren't being so annoying."

"I won't be annoying anymore, I swear."

Ryoma snorted, obviously not believing him, and turned to grab his tennis bag from where it lay on the bench. Throwing it over his shoulder, he turned and made for the door.

"Echizen!" Momo cried. Hurrying over to where his bag lay, he grabbed it up quickly and then rushed after Ryoma. "Hey! Wait up!"

Watching the two younger boys leave, Oishi then turned to Eiji and regarded him silently for a moment. Then, still saying nothing, went to grab his own bag, nodding a good-bye to Fuji as he left. Inui was still sitting with his head in his hands, seemingly deaf to the world. Oishi briefly wondered if he was okay, but then his mind was on other things.

* * *

Ryoma eventually did let Momo take him home and Momo was good on his word and didn't say anything about The Decision the entire ride home, showing remarkable restraint on his part.

And by the time he got home, jumping off the back of the bike and waving his good-bye to Momo, Ryoma was almost completely over his anger at Momo for pushing him so hard. He wasn't all the way there, but he was getting to that point slowly. He would be angrier—Momo _had_ told him to take as long as he needed, hadn't he?—but he knew that it just wasn't in Momo's nature to be patient and Ryoma hadn't really expected Momo to be that patient in the first place.

The worst part was that Ryoma could actually understand where Momo was coming from. He could understand why Momo was so adamant about getting an answer as quickly as possible. He'd want an answer quickly too.

Ryoma just honestly didn't know what to do. Eiji had made it sound so simple when they had talked at lunch, but Ryoma just didn't know.

The problem was that he knew that he _did_ feel something. He just didn't know what he felt. Was it friendship or something more? What did love feel like? Could he maybe have been in love all this time and just not know it? How did a person _know_?

Ryoma opened the door to his bedroom with a sigh and threw his tennis bag and backpack on the ground next to his bed. Then he fell onto his bed and lay there, staring up at the ceiling.

And what did Momo really want from him? What would he be expecting Ryoma to do exactly? Sex? Ryoma wasn't sure he was really ready for _those_ types of things.

Ryoma groaned softly and rolled over onto his side.

This was all too hard. It was too big of a decision for him.

He didn't want to hurt anybody, especially not Momo who didn't really deserve it, but he wanted to be sure in his feelings before actually saying anything. Momo seemed so serious about this and Ryoma wanted to be just as serious. He wanted to be sure.

But how could he know? What was he supposed to be feeling?

Ryoma adjusted his position on his bed so he was more comfortable and let one arm dangle off the edge of his bed. _"Every day I wake up to another day gone by,"_ he sang to himself, _"Nothing but the open road and the never ending why. Anything can happen, yeah, but nothing ever does."_ He brought his arm in and adjusted his position again. "_I try to change. It's kind of strange. Sa-ame as it ever was. Now look at us!" _

Giving up on lying on his side, he rolled back over onto his back._ "How do I deal with you?" _he sang expressively,_ "How do I deal with me?" _gesturing at himself,_ "When I don't even know myself or what it is you want from me. How do I deal with us? How do I know what's real? When I don't even trust myself and what it is I feel. And how do I deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal?"_

Finishing that last note and taking a deep breath, Ryoma pounded the bed with both fists and pulled himself up to sit at the edge of his bed. "_Every night in the dark I lie awake in bed," _he sang, hands resting on the bed at his sides._ "How am I supposed to dream with all this static in my he-ead?" _gesturing at his head,_ "Torn in all direction and I pray for some relief. What can I do but feel the weight I'm underneeeeeath . . . and grit my teeth. And how do I deal with you?" _he sang expressively._ "How do I deal with me?" _gesturing at himself,_ "When I don't even know myself or what it is you want from me. How do I deal with love? Why do I- Why do I have to choose?"_

Ryoma jumped up from his bed and began to pace, gesturing expressively all the way. "_Everybody's telling me what the hell I have to do. How do I deal with us? How do I know what's real? When I don't even trust myself and what it is I feel. Now how do I deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal?"_

And with that last long note, the song came to a close and Ryoma quieted, stopping in place and letting the song run through his head again. He felt it summed things up nicely.

Hopefully his dad hadn't heard. He turned to the door of his bedroom just to make sure and waited to see if his dad would pop in to embarrass him.

His dad never came.

Ryoma sighed, relieved, and went over to plop himself down on his bed again, bouncing once then collapsing back to lie stretched out, staring at the ceiling.

He still had a decision to make. Ryoma had some serious soul-searching to do and quick. Momo was getting more and more impatient. He wouldn't wait much longer.

The thought came that he should probably ask someone for help, maybe his mom, but it was just as quickly dismissed. His talk with Eiji hadn't helped in the least, what good would another talk do? He'd figure things out on his own.

* * *

Kaidoh had broken up with him because he didn't think Inui loved him anymore. The thought continued to taunt him as Inui was finally kicked out of the clubhouse. Because really. Kaidoh didn't think Inui loved him anymore. Something must have seriously gone wrong somewhere. But where?

Inui couldn't help going over every moment he had ever spent with Kaidoh, replaying all the little things said and done. Where had he gone wrong? At what moment had he sealed his fate?

The best he could come up with was that one time he had missed Kaidoh's birthday over six months ago. Everything after that had just gone downhill it seemed.

He never should have done it. Looking back, his reasons didn't seem half as important. Who really cared about gathering the data of some new player on a rival team when skipping that one birthday meant your whole life would go down the drain?

Inui walked into his laboratory that night and looked around listlessly. He still had an antidote to make.

But he just didn't feel like working on it. He didn't have the energy and it was the antidote's fault that he was in this situation in the first place. Oh he knew there were other factors but he couldn't help but think if he'd only just celebrated their anniversary. If he'd only just kept that joint training date. Maybe Kaidoh would still be with him.

Oh, Inui wasn't giving up. Not by a long shot. But the chances of Kaidoh taking him back after that morning were slim to none. He'd had good reason to break-up with Inui and Kaidoh wasn't one to go back on a decision easily.

Inui needed to show Kaidoh that he did still care for him, still love him. But how? What could he possibly do that Kaidoh would believe? All attempts to tell him he loved him would only be over-shadowed by the fact that it had taken Kaidoh breaking up with him for him to say it. Kaidoh would never believe he was telling the truth.

Inui sighed and moved to get out all the necessary items for yet another attempt at antidote. He was getting close. He knew it. And maybe working with his juice would inspire him. Or maybe it would just distract him from the pain. Either one was good.

But it was as he was pouring a small amount of the original juice into a beaker that he got an idea.

The juice.

He paused, setting the container down and staring at it for a moment.

The juice.

One of the side-effects was singing. Was singing the _truth_.

And everybody knew it was the truth. Knew that there was no way to lie.

Inui stared at the container of juice. Did he dare? Would he really purposely drug himself just to convince Kaidoh he was telling the truth?

The answer: Yes. Yes, he would.

What better way to prove that he loved Kaidoh than to drink the juice and have that tell his feelings for him? It would be embarrassing, but Inui was willing to suffer a little.

Almost unable to believe that he was actually going to do this, that he was really going to infect himself, Inui poured an amount of the juice into another beaker, about the amount that the rest had ingested, and then stared at the beaker for a moment, working up the nerve.

Finally, deciding just to get it over with, he grabbed the beaker and downed it all in one long gulp. Choking on the taste, Inui immediately started to feel dizzy. The world tilting alarmingly, he took a few quick steps to keep him upright then had to hold onto the edge of his lab table to keep himself from falling over. Blinking quickly, bracing himself, he waited for the world to stop spinning.

Finally, after a long moment, it did and Inui took a breath. Now he only had to get himself in Kaidoh's general vicinity and hope the juice did his work for him. It was putting a lot of trust in a rather unstable drug, but what could he do? He could only wait.

* * *

TBC

(1) "How Do I Deal" by Jennifer Love Hewitt


	9. Trying to Talk

I wanted to say thank you to speadee, SkySurf, tezuka, and stringer13 for reviewing. Thank you! You're all so nice!

And for those who are wondering when things are going to be settled, be patient. I'm planning for there to be only two more chapters after this. Things are going to start wrapping up really soon.

And thanks to shiro-hizu who corrected me. "And I Am Telling You" is actually by jennifer Holiday and from the musical Dreamgirls. Thanks. I fixed it.

* * *

-

Chapter #8: Trying to Talk

-

Inui walked into the school the next morning feeling decidedly nervous. His plan was already well under way, there was no turning back, and he had no idea if it was going to work. He had no statistics, no probabilities. He was essentially going into this blind and that was not a good feeling. Inui was used to always knowing what would happen, always knowing the likelihood of every possibility. And now everything was hanging on the slim chance that Inui would sing in Kaidoh's presence.

He knew, logically, that the songs were fueled by intense emotions and as such, he should sing in Kaidoh's presence. Inui certainly felt enough emotion around the other boy. But there was an unknown margin for error, the possibility that maybe unknown factors would work against him. He didn't really have a complete grasp on the how and why the juice worked as it did.

And then there was always the fact that, when confronted with Kaidoh, he didn't know what exactly he would sing. There was always the possibility that his song would only further incriminate him. But Inui didn't know how much of a possibility that was and it frustrated him.

Normally if he didn't have the probabilities working in his favor he wouldn't even bother going through with an action. So going through with a plan with absolutely no probabilities at all was just insanity. But it was for Kaidoh. He had to remember that.

At practice that morning Inui purposely put some distance between him and Kaidoh. He didn't want the juice to go off early, causing him to start singing right in the middle of practice thus embarrassing them both. He wanted to wait until he could get Kaidoh alone so that he could talk to him in private.

He didn't get the chance for privacy though until lunch came and Inui found Kaidoh eating alone in an empty classroom.

"Kaidoh," Inui greeted, standing in front of Kaidoh's desk.

Kaidoh glanced up from his lunch and, seeing Inui, started to look annoyed. "Inui-senpai. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" Kaidoh asked as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously, his polite nature unable to just turn Inui away.

"About you breaking up with me," Inui said, somehow managing to say the words without wincing.

Kaidoh frowned and looked stubborn. "I'm not changing my mind."

Inui wondered why the juice hadn't started working yet. "I can do better," he said.

"You had your chances."

Maybe Inui just needed to stall for a little more time. "Just give me one more. You won't regret it."

Kaidoh shook his head, looking irritated. "I'm not talking about this with you," he said and then started to pack up his lunch, getting ready to leave.

Inui started to panic a little, but, since he was Inui, it was a very calm panic. Kaidoh _needed_ to stay close by or else his plan wouldn't work. "I will make it up to you. Ask me for whatever you want," he said, hoping to buy some time.

Kaidoh spared a moment to give him a look, saying, "I don't want anything." Then went right back to packing up his lunch, putting away his chopsticks and closing his bento. Getting up from his seat, he nodded his good-bye to Inui, grabbing his lunch and making for the door. "Good-bye, senpai. I'll see you at practice."

Inui needed to keep Kaidoh close by. "Wait!" he called out, holding out a hand.

Kaidoh turned to give him a weird look at his out of character behavior, but said again, more firmly this time, "Good-bye, senpai." Then turned for the door, opened it and stepped through, and then . . . paused.

From somewhere music was beginning to play. Kaidoh visibly cringed and turned back into the room hurriedly, closing the door behind him, and then seemed to prepare himself for humiliation, obviously believing that he was the one who was going to start singing.

Inui felt his depression surge up and almost overwhelm him as he lost feeling in his extremities and words came to his mouth. _"I guess this time you're really leaving," _he sang, regarding Kaidoh sadly,_ "I heard your sweet voice say goodbye. Well as my broken heart lies bleeding. They say true love it's suicide."_

Kaidoh opened his eyes and stared at him, obviously unable to believe what he was seeing and hearing.

"_You say you cried a thousand riveeeers," _Inui continued, _"and now you're swimming for the shooo-oo-ore. You left me drowning in my teeeeaars. Yeah, you won't save me anymooo-oore. I pray to God you'll give me one more chance, boy." _Inui took a breath, his whole body being thrown into the song as he sang expressively, "_I'll be there for you,"_ looking up again and pointing at Kaidoh,_ "These five words I swear to you. When you breathe I wanna be the air for you. _I'll_ be _there_ for you. I live and I die for you. I steal the sun from the sky for you. Words can't say what love can do. _I'll _be _there_ for you."_

Kaidoh still stared at him. "Inui-senpai . . ." he started, looking shocked, "What are you . . . what are you _doing_?"

"_I know you know we've had some good time," _Inui continued, song slowing as he ignored Kaidoh's question,_ "Now they have their own hiding place. Well I can promise you tomorroooow but I can't buy back yesterdaaa-aay," _Inui's voice grew louder as he got into the song again._ "And baby you know my hands are diiiiiiiiiiiiirtyyy." _

Somewhere in the background Inui heard another voice singing,_ "Oh baby you know my hands are dirty," _but Inui continued on as though it had never happened.

"_But I wanted to be your Valentiiiiiii-ii-iiine. I'll be your water when you get thirsty, baby. When you get drunk I'll be the wiiii-ii-iiiiiine."_ Inui took a deep breath, voice growing even louder. _"Oh. I'll be there for you," _pointing at Kaidoh,_ "These five words I swear to you. When you breathe I wanna be the air for you. _I'll _be _there_ for you. I live and I die for you. I steal the sun from the sky for you. Words can't say what love can do. _I'll_ be _there_ for _you."

Kaidoh took a small step forward as Inui stopped singing for a musical interlude. "Inui-senpai," Kaidoh said again, "What are you doing?" Kaidoh looked almost frightened for him, but Inui couldn't answer despite the fact that he really wanted to. His limbs and mouth didn't seem to be obeying his commands. He could only sing and move with the song.

And the musical interlude was over. "_I wasn't there when you were haaaaaaappy," _Inui sang loudly and expressively.

Another voice in the background sang,_ "I wasn't there to make you happy,"_ but Inui ignored it.

"_And I wasn't there when you were dooooo-ooo-oooown," _Inui continued, voice gradually getting lower._ "Didn't mean to miss your birthday, baby. I wish I'd seen you blow those candles ooooo-oout." _He took a deep breath to prepare for the next part._ "Ohhhhhh-ohhhh!" _he wailed then came back down to sing,_ "I'll be there for you," _looking at Kaidoh as he pointed towards him, _"These five words I swear to you. When you breathe I wanna be the air for you. _I'll_ be _there_ for you. I live and I die for you. I steal the sun from the sky for you. Words can't say what love can do. _I'll _be _there_ for . . ." _Inui trailed off, taking a breath, and then started again,_ "I'll be there for you. These five words I swear to you. When you breathe I wanna be the air for you. _I'll _be _there_ for you. I live and I die for you. I steal the sun from the sky for you. Words can't say what love can do. _I'll_ be _there_ for yooooooooou."(1) _Inui held that last note for a long time before finally coming down. His muscles obeyed his commands again and he absently rubbed his arm, frowning to himself contemplatively.

So _that's_ what that felt like. "Interesting." This was actually a good chance to study the phenomena first hand. Inui hadn't realized that possibility. Very interesting. He got out his notebook and made a note of this.

"Inui-senpai," Kaidoh said and Inui looked up from his writing to see Kaidoh giving him a concerned look. "What was that?" Kaidoh asked.

"I drank the juice," Inui informed him calmly, closing his notebook and putting it back in his pocket.

"But . . . why?" Kaidoh was obviously unable to understand why anybody would put themselves through that embarrassment.

"You needed to see that I was telling the truth."

Kaidoh looked shocked at his answer. "You did _that_ just so I would know you were telling the truth?"

Inui nodded and said simply, "Yes."

Kaidoh was oddly touched, but that didn't mean anything. He wasn't changing his decision. He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest, pushing aside the strange feeling that the song and the reason behind it had produced. "It doesn't change anything."

Inui blinked and stared, unable to believe this. He'd thought Kaidoh's reaction promising. "No?"

Kaidoh shook his head.

"But you heard me," Inui couldn't help but try. "I will do anything you want to fix things."

Kaidoh shook his head again and stayed stubborn. "You had your chances. We're over." Turning, he headed for the door again. "Good-bye, senpai," he said one final time and left.

Once again, Inui could only stare after him.

* * *

By the next day Eiji still wasn't quite over his anger at Oishi, but he had decided to try one final time before giving up and handing the job of getting them together over to Oishi. Then Oishi could take all the sweet time he needed to and it wouldn't be Eiji's problem. They'd probably get together sometime in their thirties, but at least Oishi would be comfortable and okay with it. Eiji wasn't going to drag an unwilling participant into any relationship. That would just be weird.

He avoided Oishi during practice and, of course, Oishi didn't speak to him either. But, after some serious searching during lunch, he finally cornered Oishi in an empty classroom where he had been hiding.

"Okay," Eiji said seriously, pulling a desk closer to Oishi's and sitting down. "We're going to talk."

Oishi sighed and put down his chopsticks. "I already said yes. I just want us to go slower."

"And what is 'slower' to you?" Eiji asked as he tilted his head, only curious. "We're already not even moving. How can we possibly go slower?"

"Just . . . just give me some time to get used to the idea."

"If I give you time then you'll just keep finding reasons to not do this," Eiji said perfectly reasonably. "It's kind of a jump in all at once kind of thing. You know, like at the pool?"

"I like to take my time getting used to the water at the pool," Oishi told him, "You know, take it one step deeper at a time."

Eiji sighed and rested his head in one hand, looking contemplative. "Then how are we gonna do this?"

"You could back off and give me the time I need," Oishi suggested hopefully.

Eiji looked at him. "Or I could declare us boyfriends and we just not do anything until you feel ready."

"That's the thing," Oishi said, "I don't think I'm ready to have a _boyfriend_ just yet. That's just too . . ." he trailed off, unsure of what exactly it was.

"Gay?" Eiji offered.

"Much," Oishi said, giving Eiji a look. "It's too much."

"Nobody has to know," Eiji said kindly, "It's just you and me."

"And the rest of the Regulars," Oishi said. "It would be a little hard to hide it from them what with you singing all the time."

Eiji gave him a look. "You know that's not my fault. And they already thought we were together before this whole singing thing happened anyway. _Everybody_ in the school thinks we're together."

Oishi looked a little vulnerable. "Do they really?"

Seeing the vulnerability, Eiji nodded and smiled gently, trying to take away some of the blow. "Yeah, they do. Do you not hear the rumors?"

Oishi looked down at his desk, uncomfortable. "No, I do. I just try my best to believe they don't exist."

"Well, they do," Eiji said, still gently. "And we can't help that."

Still looking down at his desk, Oishi glumly nodded his agreement.

"And it doesn't really make sense for everybody to think we're together when we're not actually together," Eiji continued, "So we should just get together. Nothing would change."

Oishi looked up at him seriously. "_We'd_ change."

"But we don't have to," Eiji said, "Everything can be the same. Just the label would be different."

"But there'd be dates and kissing and . . ." Oishi looked embarrassed, giving Eiji a significant look. "_other_ things."

"Dates would just be us hanging out like usual. We've already kissed and I don't' remember you minding all that much. And we can wait for those other things. I don't think I'm ready for them either."

"I just don't . . ." Oishi looked down at his desk again, avoiding Eiji's eyes. "I just don't think I'm ready for _knowing_ that I have a boyfriend. I mean, it's one thing for everybody else to think it. It's a whole other thing to know it's true."

Eiji sat back, getting exasperated. "Why are you so afraid of being gay?"

"I'm not _afraid_," Oishi protested, "I'm just—

"Afraid," Eiji finished for him. "Something about the label has you freaked out. Why?" he asked, "Everybody already thinks it. You don't even have to come out of any closets. Nobody has _ever_ thought you were straight."

Oishi looked up, clearly upset. "_Never?_" he asked. Clearly the 'not ever' fact was new to him. "Why?" he demanded, "Am I sending out gay-vibes or something? Do I talk funny? I don't do that thing with my hand and just not realize it, do I? Do you think my parents think it too?"

Eiji rolled his eyes. "You don't do any of those things, okay? And I'm sure you're parents think you're straight. Don't worry."

"Are you sure?" Oishi asked, looking for further reassurance.

"I'm sure," Eiji said calmingly, "They think the same thing about me, after all, and I act perfectly normal."

Oishi, who had been calming down, started to look a little worried again. Eiji was a little . . . touchy-feely after all. And very open about his emotions. But Oishi wasn't going to say anything. Let Eiji think he was the image of heterosexuality.

"I think it's really just how we act around each other," Eiji continued musingly. "They think we're a little _too_ close, if you know what I mean. I tell people it's just because we're such good doubles partners—we _have_ to be close—but I don't think anybody really believes me. If you ask me, they _want_ to think we're gay. It makes for a better rumor."

Oishi still wasn't quite comfortable knowing that _everybody_ could tell he was gay, but he would push that aside for the moment. He'd freak out about that later in the privacy of his own bedroom. "That still doesn't mean that _I'm_ comfortable with having a boyfriend."

Eiji frowned. "Well don't think that I'm gonna let us just stay friends either. Not when I know you like me."

Oishi sighed heavily and shook his head. "I don't know, Eiji. It would be easier if you just let it go until I'm ready."

"You just don't want to even try," Eiji snapped, some of his anger from yesterday coming back to him as the crux of the problem presented itself.

"This has nothing to do with _trying_," Oishi said, trying to explain. "It—

"It has _everything_ to do with trying," Eiji interrupted angrily. "And I'm not gonna let you throw a good opportunity down the drain just because you're too much of a chicken to take a chance." Eiji had tried gentle and understanding and that hadn't worked so now he'd go for angry and upset. Oishi was being ridiculous.

"Eiji!" Oishi protested.

"No!" Eiji said, standing up and jabbing a finger in Oishi's direction angrily, "You are going to listen to me!"

"I have been listening to you!" Oishi tried, "I just—

"_And I am telling you, I'm not going," _Eiji sang angrily, the song abrupt and loud_ "You're the best man I've ever known. There's no way I can ever goooo. No, no, no, there's no way," _Eiji waved a hand, shaking his head_. "No, no, no, no way I'm living without you. I'm not living without you. I don't wanna be freeee-ee-eee. I'm staying. I'm staaaaaying. And you, and you," _jabbing his finger in Oishi's direction,_ "you're gonna love meeeeeeeeeeeeEEEE," _gesturing at himself as the note continued and grew louder and louder. Eiji abruptly broke it off and continued in a lower voice,_ "You're gonna loooove me."_

"Eiji!" Oishi said, trying to get his attention and make him stop singing, but Eiji was lost in the song.

"_And I am telling you I'm not going," _Eiji sang loudly, glaring at Oishi,_ "Even though there are times you're so weak. There's just no way, there's nooooo waaaaa-aaay."_ Eiji broke off the long note and seemed to gentle, the song getting quieter. "_We're part of the same place. We're part of the same town. We both share the same blood. We both have the saaame mind," _Eiji abruptly got loud again. "_And time and time it hurts soooo much to see yooooou. No, no, no, no, no, no, no," _shaking his head and waving his hand,_ "I'm not waking up tomorrow morning and finding that there's nobody theeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEE_." Eiji abruptly broke the note off and had to take a deep breath before continuing, just as loudly, "_Darling there's no way. No, no, no, no way I'm living without you. I'm not living without you. You see there's just no way, there's noooooo way." _

"Eiji!" Oishi tried again, desperately trying to get Eiji to stop. He waved his hands at Eiji and kept looking in the direction of the door. "Be quiet! Somebody's going to come see you!"

Eiji ignored him as the music abruptly changed, the piano medley getting faster and Eiji sang,_ "Bring down the mountains, yeah scream and shout. You can say what you want I'm not walking out. Stop all the rivers, push back and kill. I'm not gonna leave ya, there's no way I wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-iiiill" _The music went back to its normal tempo and Eiji took a deep breath before singing loudly,_ "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAND IIIIIIII AAAAAAAAAAM telling you I'm not going. You're the best man I've ever known. There's no way I can ever, ever go. No, no, no, no way," _shaking his head and waving a hand,_ "No, no, no, no way I'm living without you. I'm not living without ya, not living without ya. I don't wanna be free-eee-ee. I'm staying, I'm staaaaying. And you, and you," _jabbing a finger in Oishi's direction, getting closer and poking him in the chest, _"and you, you're gonna love meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-eeeeeeEE-EEEEE," _Eiji nearly fell over, out of breath, but got a second wind and, regarding Oishi seriously, finished off with,_ "You're gonna loooooove me."(2)_

Eiji stopped singing, panting for breath, but still regarded Oishi seriously. "You _are_ gonna love me," he said between breaths.

"Eiji . . ." Oishi said, turning to him with a strange look in his eye. "I already do."

Still regaining his breath, Eiji put his hands on his hips and stared at Oishi for a long moment. "You do," he finally repeated flatly.

Oishi looked embarrassed. "Yeah. I just . . . I just need time."

Eiji stared at him for another long moment. Then looked away and shook his head. He couldn't deal with Oishi right now. He started to head for the door.

"Eiji?" Oishi blinked, obviously wondering where he was going.

Eiji waved a hand back at him, a vague gesture to stay put, and left.

* * *

Eiji nearly ran into Fuji coming out of the classroom.

"Eiji?" Fuji asked, barely stopping himself in time

Obviously startled, Eiji looked up and pulled to a stop before he could run into the other boy. "Fuji?"

"Eiji," Fuji said again then looked at his friend closer, "Is something wrong?"

"No," Eiji shook his head tiredly, looking down at the floor. "It's . . . it's just . . ." trailing off, he covered his face with a hand and took a deep breath in and out slowly, "It's just Oishi," he said, removing the hand from his face and waving it in the general direction of the classroom he had just come out of. "He's being . . . you know . . ." making a vague gesture, "I think I'm gonna go."

Fuji watched him in concern. "Alright . . ."

Eiji nodded, obviously decided on something. "Yeah, I'm gonna go." And he started walking off down the hallway, looking tired and not at all like himself.

Fuji had to see what had happened. He opened the door the classroom Eiji had just exited and peeked his head inside to find Oishi studying his hands with a frown on his face. "Oishi?" he asked.

Oishi looked up. "Fuji?"

Fuji stepped into the room fully, closing the door behind him, and regarding the seated boy seriously. "I just saw Eiji. What did you do to him?"

"I didn't do anything!" Oishi protested.

"You obviously did _something_."

"He was just talking about us . . . you know," Oishi looked uncomfortable, making a vague gesture, "getting together. And then he sang a song and told me I was going to . . . love him. And then I said I already did and then he just kind of stared at me and walked off. I don't know what happened."

"But you told him you loved him?" Fuji asked, just to get things straight.

"Yeah . . ." Oishi trailed off uncomfortably, "Was that wrong?"

"It depends," Fuji said, walking closer and placing both hands on the back of a chair. He frowned, considering the situation. Normally Eiji would have been ecstatic to hear such a thing. "Did you say anything else afterwards?"

Oishi obviously hesitated to tell him, but finally did. "I told him I still needed more time."

Oh. Fuji nodded, everything coming together. "You do realize, of course," Fuji said, looking at Oishi, "that that was not what Eiji wanted to hear? Especially not so soon after you told him you loved him."

Oishi looked down at his lap and nodded shamefacedly.

Fuji sighed softly, shaking his head in seeming regret. It was time to start fixing things. "That explains what he told me, at least."

Oishi looked up, curious. "What did he tell you?"

"That he was getting tired of waiting for you to come around," Fuji said, looking up at the other boy as he lied. "He was quite angry about it."

Oishi started to looked a little scared. "He really said that?

Fuji nodded seriously.

"But . . . But it's only been three days," Oishi said, "He'd really give up just like that?"

"I don't think he really believed it when you said you loved him," Fuji said. "I think he thinks that if you really did love him you'd get past all this . . ." Fuji made a vague gesture to encompass Oishi and his need for time, "and just damn the consequences and get together with him."

"But can't he understand? This has nothing to do with whether I love him or not. I just need a little more time to get used to the idea of being gay and having a boyfriend. I'm not asking for years. Just a few more days."

"Have you told him that?"

"Yes," Oishi frowned, looking mildly irritated as he remembered and nodded "More than once."

"Well, I don't know what to tell you," Fuji said, releasing the chair and shrugging his shoulders. "Because he looks like he's about a second away from giving up. You should seriously think about just how much you really need that time. It could just be a way of procrastination." Fuji looked at Oishi to see how he would take this next part, "Unless, of course, you _don't_ want to be with Eiji."

"No, I do. I do," Oishi hurried to say.

"Then think about it," Fuji ordered.

Oishi looked unsure, but seemed to be taking the advice to heart, nodding his head. "Alright. I will."

Fuji closed his eyes and smiled pleasantly. "Good."

* * *

Inui's day had not been good.

The plan hadn't worked. Had been a spectacular failure actually. He had sang, yes, but Kaidoh hadn't cared in the least. It hadn't changed the situation at all.

So now he was stuck singing his irrational feelings for the entire world to hear and he still didn't have Kaidoh. The singing would have been okay, if only he had Kaidoh.

But, to be painfully honest, Inui hadn't really expected his plan to work in the first place. He had been fooling himself to think it would at all. Kaidoh was remarkably stubborn at times. Especially when things were serious. On those few times that it had counted, Inui had never been able to change Kaidoh's mind.

Not that he had really tried to. During those times Kaidoh was always stubborn in ways that benefited Inui's own interests. Now that they didn't, Inui didn't know what to do.

Drinking the juice had been his only plan and it hadn't worked.

What was he going to do? _All_ of his future plans included the boy. Inui couldn't see himself without him. Kaidoh was just _always_ there.

What was he going to do?

Inui closed his bedroom door behind him tiredly and placed his backpack and tennis bag on the floor beside his desk. Then walked over and sank down onto his bed, putting his head in his hands. And he sat there for a long time, wallowing in his own misery.

Music eventually began to play softly in the background and Inui would have looked up but he was stuck. His muscles didn't work.

"_Once in a lifetime you'll ooopen up your heart," _not lifting his head, Inui began to sing softly and slowly,_ "Baby, once in your lifetime you swear to neeever be apart. You think your love's on solid ground then out of the blue it all comes tumbling down."_

The words fell out of his mouth without him even thinking the words, but he heard them and they hurt. He seriously had thought the relationship stable.

"_Who's gonna hooold me tonight when I'm feeling looonely?" _he sang, missing Kaidoh's presence horribly,_ "Who's gonna shooow me the light? 'Cause I need to knoo-o-ow. With all the things weee've got, how can love just stop? Tell me. Somebody help me understaaand."_

He really did want to understand. How could he have made such a big mistake? He'd gathered all the data on relationship dynamics, observed all the known couples for real-life examples. He should have performed perfectly well as a boyfriend. But instead he ruined everything.

"_And my picture in your locker – what will you do with it noo-ow? All our friends and all our memories – tell me how we sort them out. What's yours is yours. What's mine is mine. Is that all that's left after all this tii-ime?"_

Inui shook his head and looked up, not really looking at anything. _"Who's gonna hooold me tonight," _he sang to himself,_ "when I'm feeling looonely? Who's gonna shooow me the light? 'Cause I need to knoo-o-ow. With all the things weee've got, how can love just stop? Tell me." _The music he could barely hear in the background abruptly changed, the tempo growing faster._ "Somebody help me understand why I'm not a part of your plan and you don't need me anymooore. Help me understand why I still wanna be where you are even though I know in my heeea-a-art that you don't love me" _the music slowed,_ "anymoooooooore." _

Inui sighed then continued softly and slowly, _"Who's gonna hooold me tonight when I'm feeling looonely. Who's gonna shooow me the light cause I need to knoo-o-ow. With all the things weee've got how can love just stop?" _He paused for a moment, the music going quiet as he looked down at his lap._ "Teeell me. Somebody help me understand."(3)_

Inui sighed again and put his head back in his hands, feeling miserable. Even the chance to study a phenomenon such as the singing up close and personal couldn't shake off his gloom.

He just wanted to sit here for a while.

* * *

TBC

(1) "I'll Be There for You" by Bon Jovi

(2) "And I Am Telling You" from the musical Dreamgirls

(3) "Help Me Understand" by Trace Adkins


	10. A Decision Is Made: Part 1

AN: I hope I'm right. In Japan don't they have five regular days of school (Mon. – Fri.) and then a half day on Sat. and no school on Sunday? If that's not true then they do in my universe. And I know I said there'd be only two more chapters left, but this chapter got a little long so it's gonna be another two-parter.

* * *

-

Chapter #10: A Decision Is Made: Part 1

-

Oishi entered the school that morning, head down, and immediately headed for the tennis courts. It may have been Saturday, but they still had morning practice before school.

He'd been thinking about what Fuji had said the other day and had come to a decision. He would give Eiji his chance. It had been a hard decision, made with lots of nail-biting and pacing, locking himself in his room and doing some serious fretting, but he'd done it. He was ready to give this gay-thing a try.

But how to tell Eiji that?

Did he just go up to Eiji and say 'Okay' and that was it? Should he say something else? Should he be romantic? Maybe apologize? He didn't really think there was anything to apologize _for_.

Eiji would just have to be okay with a simple 'Let's do this thing.' Because, hey, at least Oishi was saying yes. Eiji should be happy with that, right?

But maybe he'd already given up. Maybe Eiji didn't care anymore. Fuji _had_ said he was getting tired of waiting. Maybe Eiji had already moved on and Oishi was just going to embarrass himself.

Oh God. What if . . . what if Eiji already had a new boyfriend?

Oishi abruptly stopped walking in the middle of the path, eyes wide, struck by this new possibility. Because what if?

Oishi couldn't say anything if Eiji already had a boyfriend!

It took him a moment but finally he shook his head, shaking the idea off, and started walking again.

No, that was just silly. Eiji hadn't had the _time_ to get a new boyfriend. It _had_ been almost a whole day since they'd last talked, but no one could get another boyfriend _that_ quickly, right? Right?

Right. Tightening his grip on his tennis bag, Oishi nodded to himself with a small frown, feeling somewhat assured.

Arriving at the clubhouse, Oishi closed the door behind him and looked around. Nobody was there, but he hadn't expected them to be. As vice-captain, he had to get to the courts a little early in order to help Tezuka get everything set up. Occasionally when he arrived he would find Tezuka changing, but that was occasionally.

Setting his bag down on the floor, Oishi went over to his locker and fiddled with the lock. Getting out his practice clothes, it took him maybe five minutes to finish changing. Done, he went out onto the courts to meet up with Tezuka and begin his duties for the day. He didn't see Eiji until maybe twenty minutes later when the other boy walked onto the courts, chattering away at Fuji. Stopping in place, Oishi stared at Eiji from across the courts, his nervousness coming back to him with a force.

He didn't know what to do. Should he approach now? Should he wait? What if Eiji didn't want to be bothered? What if Eiji _never_ wanted to be bothered? Maybe Eiji didn't have a new boyfriend but he could still easily be angry with him.

Finally Oishi decided to approach. Let Eiji be angry with him for the moment, what Oishi had to say would hopefully fix everything.

"Eiji," Oishi said, walking up to the other boy.

Eiji broke off his conversation with Fuji to turn to Oishi. "Oishi?" he asked, looking somewhat surprised. "You're actually talking to me again?"

"Yeah, um . . ." Oishi rubbed the back of his neck nervously, looking down at his feet. He didn't know quite what to say—he hadn't quite gotten that far in the planning process before deciding to wing it—and he couldn't quite just say what he wanted to with Fuji standing right there, watching his every move. "I was wondering . . . um . . ."

Eiji looked curious and tilted his head. "You were wondering?"

"Um. Yeah. I was wondering . . ." Scratching the area behind his ear one last time, Oishi looked up at Eiji hesitantly. "Do you think we could talk? Not right now," Oishi hurried to put in, "Sometime later. But definitely talk."

Eiji blinked. "About what?"

"About, you know . . ." Looking uncomfortable, more than aware of Fuji's presence by their side, Oishi gave Eiji a significant look. "_things_."

Eiji's eyes widened in understanding and he exchanged a look with Fuji, seeming nervous. Fuji nodded, smiling encouragingly, and Eiji shook his head, eyes wide. Fuji nodded again, smiling and gesturing for him to go on, and Eiji hesitated. Fuji made another patient 'go on' gesture and finally Eiji nodded, seeming to steel himself as he took a breath, and then turned back to Oishi with a smile, looking more confident. "Sure," he said brightly, "Is after school okay?"

Oishi let out his breath, relieved, and smiled slightly. "Yeah, that'd be great." And he was about to end the conversation and walk away, thankful for it to be done, when Tezuka approached.

"Fuji."

Eyes closed, Fuji smiled. "Yes?"

Tezuka did not look happy. Come to think of it, Oishi thought, Tezuka had been looking particularly angry all morning. Reaching out, Tezuka grabbed Fuji's arm and yanked him forward. "Come with me," he commanded and started to drag Fuji away, not waiting for an answer. Fuji waved back at Oishi and Eiji happily as he was dragged off.

Those two gone, Eiji and Oishi were left alone and turned to stare at each other.

"Um . . ." Eiji began, looking uncomfortable, "So . . ." But then he fell silent. There was an awkward pause.

"I think I still have some things to do before practice," Oishi finally said into the silence, sticking his thumb in the direction of the tennis courts. "So I should probably get to that."

"Yeah!" Eiji said and nodded his head enthusiastically. "And I'm just gonna go . . ." Eiji trailed off, looking uncertain, before making a vague gesture in the direction of the benches, ". . . over there . . ."

"Okay," Oishi said, nodding, "So I'll see you later?"

"Yeah! After school. Meet me at my locker."

Oishi nodded again and walked off, knowing that he would have to interact with Eiji during the practice itself, but ignoring that for the moment.

* * *

Tezuka dragged Fuji over into a corner, supposedly out of the rest of the club's sight. Letting go of Fuji's arm, Tezuka immediately turned on the other boy, demanding, "What did you do to my family?"

"Your family?" Fuji asked, tilting his head and blinking as though he didn't understand why Tezuka was asking him this.

"Yes. What did you do to them?"

"I didn't do anything to them," Fuji tried, smiling.

Tezuka did not look amused by Fuji's attempts to pretend ignorance. "Fuji."

And Fuji still smiled as he allowed Tezuka this win, just to be nice. "Well . . . I may have spoken to them for a moment."

Tezuka felt his jaw clench in anger. "What did you do?"

"It was only for a moment," Fuji protested mildly, visibly unconcerned with facing Tezuka's wrath. "I couldn't have done _too_ much damage."

"What did you do?" Tezuka demanded again.

"I merely expressed my displeasure with how they have been treating you," Fuji said lightly then frowned in displeasure as he remembered. "I don't know why they were so upset. I was more than polite."

"Fuji," Tezuka said, still more than angry, "They're petrified. My grandparents won't even look at me."

"Really?" Fuji asked, trying to look surprised by this.

"Yes," Tezuka said bluntly.

"Well, I don't have a clue why," Fuji said, "Maybe something happened after I left."

Tezuka closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he tried to dredge up the patience to deal with his boyfriend. Finally, he opened his eyes and turned back to Fuji. "How did you even know how they treat me?" he demanded, "Who told you?"

Fuji simply smiled mysteriously. "No one told me. I have my ways."

And, knowing that he would never get an answer out of Fuji when he smiled like that, Tezuka scowled. But, getting his anger under better control, he ordered, "You are coming with me after school to fix whatever you did."

"I'm afraid I already have plans." Fuji was actually going to put his plans for the others into action today after school. It seemed like Eiji and Oishi were going to be okay, but that still left Inui and Kaidoh and Momo and Ryoma to deal with. Everything would be settled by the time school started again next week.

"Cancel them."

"They aren't exactly the kind of plans that can be canceled," Fuji said.

"I don't care. Cancel them. You did this. You are going to fix it." And that, to Tezuka, was that. He turned and left, going back to getting everything ready for practice.

Watching him leave, Fuji frowned. This was not good. Now what was he going to do? The others weren't going to get together by themselves.

He probably should have waited to go through with his plans for Tezuka's family. It had just seemed like such a good opportunity. Tezuka had been out of the house and distracted. That didn't often happen at a time when Fuji could take advantage of it.

Still . . . it had been fun. Remembering the looks on their faces, Fuji smiled and looked particularly evil. He didn't regret a thing.

* * *

To Eiji, practice was awkward and tense, Eiji unable to stop shooting Oishi these nervous looks. School seemed to drag by minute by agonizing minute. And after school practice wasn't that much better. Finally practice ended and the Regulars were free to go. Everyone changed silently. Eiji was usually the one at the heart of all the chaos in the changing room and today he was a little preoccupied by curiosity and nerves.

Finally Oishi was finished changing and he turned to Eiji. "You ready to go?"

Eiji nodded and turned to grab his tennis bag from where it sat on the bench. "Yeah. I'm ready."

Oishi nodded and grabbed his own bag, turning to leave the clubhouse. He and Eiji were quiet as they made their way out the door and out of the school, walking in tense silence as they walked into town, not really watching where they were going. Finally Eiji couldn't stand the silence anymore and decided he would get the talk started. They had already walked more then a good ways away from the school and still nobody had said anything.

"So . . ." Eiji began, clearly nervous. He looked over at Oishi. "What'd you want to talk to me about?"

"Uh. Yeah," Oishi said, looking down at the ground as he walked, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. How did he say this? "Um . . ." Nothing coming to mind, Oishi trailed off into silence.

"You said we could talk about us getting together," Eiji said leadingly and then waited for Oishi to contribute his own thoughts to the conversation. When Oishi merely said, "Yeah. Um," again and continued rubbing the back of his neck, Eiji continued, "Did you make a decision?"

"Yeah. I, uh . . . I mean . . ." Oishi was clearly too nervous to actually say anything useful, but Eiji was starting to get the picture. Oishi didn't seem like he was the type of nervous where he was turning Eiji down. He seemed the type of nervous where he was saying yes. As Oishi continued along the "Yeah. Um. I mean . . ." vein, Eiji slowly began to smile.

In the background, music began to play and Eiji reached out to grab Oishi by the shoulder, pulling the other boy to a stop. Oishi silenced and turned to look at Eiji as Eiji began to sing._ "I bet you're nervous, well so am I," _Eiji sang, smiling as he let go of Oishi's shoulder,_ "There's something going on we can't deny. I'm wanting you so, it takes my breath awaaaaaaaaaa-aaaay,"_

Oishi's eyes widened and he looked this way and that quickly, noticing all of the other people on the street. They were in the middle of the business district and this was no place for Eiji to burst into song. There was nowhere that they could hide.

"_Conversation is for the birds," _Eiji continued, still smiling,_ "You're wasting time trying to find the woooords. I know, I know, what you're trying to saaaaaaaaa-aaaay. And if you ask me oo-once," _Eiji held up one finger and shook it in Oishi's face,_ "and you ask me nii-ice, baby you don't have to ask me twice," _holding up two fingers, _"No matter what you wa-ant. Once you ask me nii-ice, baby you don't have to ask me twice." _Eiji smiled and shook his head,_ "Oh noo-oo"_

People were starting to notice and had started to form a curious circle around them on the sidewalk. Oishi looked around them frantically and sweated. This was embarrassing. But what could he do? Hopefully Eiji didn't do anything _too_ embarrassing. Singing was one thing but dragging Oishi into it was another.

"_I'm really trying to be polite," _Eiji sang then sidled up closer to Oishi, _"Don't be afraid 'cause baby I don't bite. Come on, come on," _getting in close,Eiji crooked his finger in a 'come on, come on' gesture, _"this could take all niiiiiiiiii-iiiight. And if you ask me oo-once," _holding up that one finger and shaking it in Oishi's face,_ "and you ask me nii-ice, baby you don't have to ask me twice," _holding up two fingers,_ "No matter what you waa-ant. Once you ask me nii-ii-iice, baby you don't have to ask me twice. You don't have to ask me twi-iice."_

The music changed, slowing down, and Eiji stood back, grabbing Oishi's hands and pulling him in closer. Oishi tried to get away but Eiji's grip was scary-strong._ "You know twice is too much, once is enough. I've got the answers if you've got the stuuuu-uuuff."_

The music went back to its original speed and Eiji let go of Oishi's hands to dance around the circle formed by the onlookers. Hoping nobody would notice him in the corner, Oishi backed out of Eiji's way and cringed for his friend, knowing Eiji was going to be so embarrassed when he came back to himself.

"_I'm really trying to set you wise," _Eiji finally finished his dance and came back face to Oishi._ "I see the question burning in your eyes. Go on try it. You might be surpriiiiiiiiiiiii-iiised. So come on ask me oo-once," _holding up one finger and doing a full-body shake_ "baby ask me nii-ice, you don't, you don't have to ask me twice," _holding up two fingers_, "No matter what you waa-ant. Once you ask me nii-ice, baby you don't have to ask me twi-ice. Oooh, ask me once, come on ask me niii-ii-ice," _Eiji stood back and sang with his whole body,_ "Baby you don't have to ask me, baby you don't have to ask me, baby you don't have to ask me twice. (1)"_ Finally Eiji stopped and the crowd of onlookers burst into applause.

"Woo!" Someone screamed their approval.

Standing frozen, Eiji's eyes shot around the circle of onlookers and his face burned.

Still trying to hide in the corner, Oishi looked embarrassed for the both of them. "Are you done?"

Stiff in embarrassment, Eiji slowly nodded.

"Good," Oishi said then reached out to grab Eiji's arm. "Let's go." And, keeping his head down, Oishi led the way out of the circle, trying to push his way past people. The crowd kept cheering, crowding in on them and not letting them leave. "Eiji, help!" Being crowded in, Oishi shouted back at his friend, snapping Eiji out of his embarrassed frozen state, and together they worked to get out of the circle. Finally, after a seemingly long fight, they were successful and they ran the rest of the way down the street, trying to get away.

* * *

Momo watched Eiji and Oishi leave the clubhouse curiously. They were acting so serious and he had to wonder what was going on. Finally he gave up trying to guess and turned to Ryoma. He was trying to work up the nerve to ask Ryoma to hang out with him after practice, but it was taking a while. He'd come to a realization the night before. His need for an answer was pushing Ryoma away, exactly what he didn't want to happen. So he had decided to just give up. It hurt knowing that he would never have Ryoma the way he wanted to have him when he was so close, but he wanted Ryoma to stick around more than he wanted Ryoma to say yes so he would give up. So now he was going to try to get everything back to the way it used to be, with them as friends and nothing more.

"You wanna do something?" Momo asked, looking almost nervous. "I won't be annoying, I swear."

Ryoma turned to him and adjusted his cap on his head, looking up at Momo to seemingly judge the older boy's sincerity with his eyes.

"I swear," Momo repeated, really trying to look sincere.

Apparently getting his answer, Ryoma looked away and shrugged indifferently. "Whatever."

"Great!" Momo beamed. "How about the burger shop?"

Ryoma made a face and shook his head as he reached down for his tennis bag. "With the singing?" Throwing his bag over his shoulder, he looked back at Momo and started for the door.

"I haven't sung anything since Thursday," Momo said, following him out of the clubhouse. "I think it might be over. Inui-senpai did say that the effects might go away on their own."

Ryoma obviously didn't quite trust that and glanced back at Momo dubiously.

"Oh, come on," Momo said, trying to get Ryoma to agree as they made their way out to where Momo had parked his bike. "When was the last time you sang anything?"

Ryoma shrugged uncomfortably and carefully turned away. "Thursday."

"See?" Momo said, his point proven, and then, to sweeten the deal, added, "I'll even pay."

At that Ryoma glanced back up at Momo, clearly starting to come around.

But, seeing that Ryoma still needed some convincing, Momo continued, "And if you do sing you can blame it all on me, okay?"

Ryoma narrowed his eyes at Momo with a serious frown then looked away, obviously thinking this through deeply, weighing the pros and cons. He _did_ want some burgers. He hadn't had any all week. Finally, he shrugged and turned back to Momo, saying again, "Whatever."

"Great!" Momo smiled, translating that as an okay and looking excited. Getting to where he had parked his bike, he leaned over to unlock it from the bike rack. "I don't know about you, but I've been craving burgers like hell this whole week. I don't remember a time I've gone so long without one. I seriously think I'm going into withdrawal here. I just didn't wanna go when I could break into song in the middle of the place, you know? That would be so embarrassing and I don't think I'd ever be able to go back there which would _suck_ 'cause I like that place." Finally getting his bike unlocked, Momo stood and turned to Ryoma. "So are we walking or do you wanna ride?"

"Let's walk."

Momo shrugged. "Sure. Whatever."

The walk to the burger shop was somewhat quiet, Momo for once unable to think of things to talk about. He didn't want to be annoying, after all. But things got better once they actually reached their destination. Momo challenged Ryoma to an eating contest and the two proceeded to stuff their faces with large quantities of burgers and fries, snarking at each other between bites. It almost seemed like everything was back to normal.

Their eating contest beginning to wind down, both feeling too full to take another bite, Momo lay collapsed across the table and Ryoma people-watched, slowly sipping his milkshake.

"Ugh," Momo groaned, voice muffled as he had his face against the tabletop, "I feel sick."

Turning back to him, Ryoma smirked. "I feel fine. You must just be too delicate for real eating."

"I'll show you delicate," Momo grumbled under his breath, face still pressed against the tabletop.

"What was that?" Ryoma asked, pretending he hadn't heard.

Momo slowly pulled himself up to a sit and blinked at the menu board. "I think I'm gonna go get another burger."

"Are you sure?" Ryoma asked mockingly. "You don't think you're too delicate for that? Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

Looking thoughtful and ignoring him, Momo patted his stomach and nodded to himself. "I think I have room for one more."

"Fine," Ryoma said scornfully, "But when you throw up, aim _away_ from me."

So Momo got his burger and came back to the table where he sat and began to slowly make his way through it, forcing it bite by bite down his throat. Ryoma shook his head at his idiocy and sipped his milkshake. For a moment they were silent.

Ryoma found himself watching Momo force the burger down his throat. Momo really had been good on his word. He hadn't been annoying this whole time. He hadn't even brought up the subject of the decision. It had been like nothing had ever happened.

It was weird but Ryoma almost _wanted_ Momo to bring it up. It just felt wrong to go on like nothing had changed, like nothing was happening. They shouldn't be able to joke and rip at each other like everything was fine when everything was _not_ fine. Plus if Momo brought up the decision then Ryoma could get angry. And being angry gave him an excuse to be away from Momo where he wouldn't have to deal with the things being with Momo made him feel. Because he could go back and forth as much as he wanted to when he was alone in his bedroom, it was when he was alone with Momo that things got confusing.

He wanted to say yes, to give it a try, but he didn't want to ruin their friendship by going into anything too fast when he wasn't sure if he really felt anything. He wanted to say yes because he thought he felt something, but he didn't want to get into anything that he didn't fully understand. He wanted to say yes because he knew being with Momo made him happy, but he didn't know if that was because they were friends or because Ryoma actually loved him back. He wanted to say yes, but he wasn't sure how a relationship would affect the rest of the things in his life.

He just wanted to say yes, but he couldn't without knowing more.

Almost done with his burger, Momo finally looked up and noticed Ryoma watching him. "What?" he asked.

Ryoma looked away. "Nothing."

"No really," Momo said, putting down his burger and getting serious. He didn't like the look on Ryoma's face. "What?"

Maybe if Momo wasn't going to bring it up and ruin the whole afternoon, Ryoma could. Ryoma carefully kept his eyes averted as he said, "You haven't mentioned it."

Immediately knowing what 'it' Ryoma was talking about, Momo blinked. "Well, yeah. I thought you didn't want me to."

"I don't," Ryoma said quickly.

"Right," Momo said with a blink, not understanding what the problem was then, "Then everything's good."

"Yeah," Ryoma said, watching his surroundings and not Momo, "Everything's good."

"Good," Momo said and went back to his burger. They were silent as he finished it quickly and then sipped his soda.

"I just thought you might bring it up," Ryoma said, faking nonchalant.

"Echizen," Momo said, regarding Ryoma seriously as he put his soda down, "Do you _want_ me to bring it up?"

"No."

"Okay then. I won't." Momo went back to his soda.

They were silent for another moment then Ryoma turned to him and said, "You were so impatient the other day and now you're just _fine_ with it?"

"Well . . ." Momo blinked. "Yeah . . ." he said slowly.

"Just like that?" Ryoma asked intently. "Just like that and you're fine with it?"

"Echizen . . ." Momo said, looking confused. "Do you want me to _not_ be fine with it?"

"No," Ryoma said, crossing his arms over his chest and looking away uncomfortably, "I'm just . . . You're not usually so easy. It's weird. Stop it."

"Well . . . I just figured you'd tell me when you had your answer."

Ryoma turned to look at him, obviously not believing a word he said.

"What?" Momo asked defensively, "I can be considerate."

"What happened to 'If I don't bug you constantly then you won't think about it and you _need_ to think about it'?"

"I didn't say that!" Momo protested.

"Maybe not word for word but yeah, you said it."

"Well maybe I changed my mind," Momo tried. "I'm sure you can . . ." he got a weird look on his face, "think things through by yourself . . ."

Ryoma was unimpressed. "You can't even say it without looking like you're lying."

"Well, I'm sorry, okay?" Momo said defensively. "But you know you won't think about it without someone hounding you."

"Then why did you give up?" And that really was what was bothering Ryoma. Because had he given up? It kind of felt like he had.

"I . . ." Momo looked uncomfortable and looked anywhere but at Ryoma.

"Momo-senpai," Ryoma said before Momo could feed him some fake line, looking at the older boy intently.

"I . . ." Momo obviously wanted to lie, to make some joke to make things not so serious. He took one look at Ryoma's serious face and gave up. "_Fine_," he finally said, sounding a little angry, "I gave up because I didn't want you to leave and waiting for an answer was only pushing you away." That said, he looked down at his lap, feeling almost ashamed.

"So you gave up," Ryoma repeated flatly, feeling a little let down. "Obviously you must not want me that badly."

"What?" Hearing this, Momo's head snapped up and he stared. "No!"

"Well if you just gave up," Ryoma said, it all seeming very clear to him.

"No!" Momo repeated. "No. I . . ." he looked around the burger shop furtively; making sure no one was listening. Seeing no one, he turned back to Ryoma. "I love you," he said seriously but quietly, "And God knows I want you. I just . . ." he trailed off uncomfortably before saying with a self-deprecating smile, "I just don't want you to leave."

Ryoma felt his heart wrench at the look on Momo's face. Was that love? He snorted and looked away, not quite comfortable with whatever he was feeling. "I'm not gonna leave, you idiot."

"Well it _felt_ like you were," Momo said, sitting back with a frown. "You kept ignoring me. And that one time you wouldn't even _look _at me."

"That's because I was _embarrassed_," Ryoma snapped before he could tell himself to shut up, glaring at Momo. Then, hearing what he'd just admitted to, he began to blush a little and quickly looked away again.

Momo blinked. "Embarrassed? What were you embarrassed about?"

Ryoma seemed to scrunch down a little in his seat, still keeping his eyes carefully on the tabletop. But he still answered the question. "Me and Kikumaru-senpai were talking about," Ryoma couldn't believe he was actually going to say this, "_things_ and you know . . ."

"Things?" Momo asked blankly, not understanding.

"Yeah. Things," Ryoma said as if that explained it all.

Momo still looked blank. "What things?"

"You know," Ryoma said, turning to Momo and saying with embarrassed emphasis, "_Things._"

"_What_ things?" Momo asked again, starting to sound frustrated.

"Sex!" Ryoma snapped maybe a little too loudly, "I was gonna ask him about sex, okay?" Ryoma said defensively, glaring at Momo with a blush high on his cheeks.

"_Oh_," Momo said, eyes going wide, not quite sure he was glad he asked. "_Those_ things."

"I was _curious,_" Ryoma tried to explain himself just in case Momo got the wrong idea, "And I figured if we'd ever get together I'd have to, you know, do stuff." Thinking this and remembering some of his more vivid dreams, Momo blushed. "And I wanted to know what exactly kind of stuff I'd have to do," Ryoma continued, either ignoring the blush or just not noticing. "And I figured it was either ask Kikumaru-senpai or Fuji-senpai and you _know_ Fuji-senpai would make it all perverted. It was embarrassing enough that I even had to ask."

"Oh, okay," Momo said, still blushing a little, "That makes sense, I guess."

"Yeah," Ryoma said, still keeping his eyes down on the table top. There was a moment of silence, both of them not quite comfortable with where the conversation had gone.

Finally, Momo turned back to Ryoma. "But . . . but you know that I wouldn't force you to do . . . those things . . . until you were ready, right?"

Ryoma still looked uncomfortable, blushing. "Yeah, I know." He looked around the burger shop, only that much more embarrassed to know they were talking about private things in such a public place. "Can we not talk about this here?"

Momo agreed with his opinion on this place. "Yeah," he said, nodding with wide eyes. "Let's not."

Ryoma looked relieved and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Thank God."

TBC

(1) "Ask Me Nice" from the movie SING


	11. A Decision is Made: Part 2

-

Just so you know, I know absolutely nothing about Tezuka's family other than the fact that he lives with his grandparents. I'm not sure if his parents are there too but I'm assuming they are. If that's wrong then I'm sorry, but they're there in my story. And I didn't know their names so I just made them up. Also, this chapter might have some offensive language. The Tezuka family really doesn't like gay people. And I cannot write kissing scenes. Just a general warning.

Also thanks to all those people that reviewed. Thank you! I'm not so sure about this chapter though (I think it's a little choppy) so tell me if you like it.

* * *

-

Chapter #11: A Decision Is Made: Part 2

-

Tezuka stood waiting for Fuji in the door to the clubhouse. "Are you ready?" he asked sternly.

Looking up and over at his boyfriend, Fuji nodded and then reached down to grab his tennis bag.

"Good," Tezuka said, nodding, "Let's go." And Tezuka turned to leave. Fuji waved one last goodbye to Inui and Kaidoh, the only two left in the clubhouse, and followed Tezuka out. He wasn't exactly looking forward to what Tezuka wanted him to do—in his mind Tezuka's family had deserved all that they had gotten and more—but if it was something Tezuka wanted him to do then it would be done.

The two of them eventually got to Tezuka's house after a long and quiet walk. Tezuka was still angry and would be angry until Fuji had fixed things. But finally they arrived and Tezuka opened the door, calling out, "I'm home!"

No one answered.

"Maybe they're not home," Fuji said, trying to get out of having to apologize, "Maybe we should come back another time."

Tezuka shook his head. "They're home. They just won't answer." Tezuka shot Fuji an accusatory glance to show whose fault he thought that was.

Fuji blinked and tried to look innocent. Seeing this, Tezuka sighed and shook his head then ordered Fuji to stay put in the living room while he set to the task of finding his grandparents, maybe his parents if he was lucky.

He was very lucky. His mom had been in the kitchen, his dad in his study, his grandfather out on the porch, and his grandmother had been in her garden. Tezuka had them all collect in the living room for Fuji's apology.

"Hey. It's that boy," Tezuka's grandfather said upon seeing Fuji. Fuji smiled at the man. The man scowled at him in return.

Tezuka's mom looked scared and inched closer to her husband. "What's he doing here?"

"He's here to apologize," Tezuka said sternly, glaring at Fuji and daring him to say otherwise.

"Yes," Fuji said, smiling serenely, "I think we may have started out on the wrong foot."

"Oh I don't think so, young man," Tezuka's grandmother said, looking at him in extreme disapproval, "Unless wrong foot is what you youngsters call being threatened nowadays."

Fuji turned to her and blinked as though he was honestly confused. "I don't seem to recall threatening you, ma'am"

"Fuji," Tezuka said in disapproval, glare going up a notch.

"But if that's what you took it as then I am sorry." Fuji bowed in apology.

Tezuka's father snorted before saying, "And _this_ is your little boyfriend, Kunimitsu?"

"Yes," Fuji said, straightening from his bow and opening his eyes to regard the man with a blue-eyed stare, "Is there a problem with that, sir?"

"Fuji," Tezuka said again in disapproval, trying to reign Fuji in.

Tezuka's father tried hard to look not even remotely threatened by the pure malice he saw in those eyes. "Yes, there is," he said baldly, looking at Fuji in disgust, "It's disgusting."

Off to the side, Tezuka couldn't help a small flinch and Fuji's smile seemed to grow sharper. "And just what's so disgusting about it, _sir_?" Fuji asked.

"Well, look at you," Tezuka's father said, looking Fuji up and down in disgust, "You're a little femme-boy."

"Kazutaka," Tezuka's mom murmured warningly, putting a hand on his arm. But it didn't seem like she disapproved of what was being said, it just seemed like she was still frightened of Fuji.

"Well, look at him, Kimiko!" Kazutaka exclaimed, throwing a hand in Fuji's direction. "He couldn't hurt a fly with those twiggy arms. I don't know why you're all so scared."

"But his threats seemed so _real_," Kimiko said, defending her fear.

"So? Kunimitsu could make threats that seem _real_ and he's a dirty little pillow-biter."

Standing beside the sofa, Tezuka went carefully blank as though he hadn't heard what his father had just called him.

"Pillow-biter, sir?" Fuji asked, smile starting to look strained.

"Yes," Kazutaka said, glaring at Fuji as though it were all his fault, "A queen. A butt-pirate. A cock-jockey."

"Now, Kazutaka," Tezuka's grandmother said warningly, "There's no need to be crude." But she still didn't look like she disapproved of anything but the language. Neither did the grandfather at that. These people made Fuji sick.

"This is my only son, mother. My _heir_," Kazutaka said, turning to her with a disgruntled look, "You can understand why I would be a little upset when he turns out to be nothing but a limp-wristed faggot."

Having had enough of this, Fuji turned to Tezuka with a serious look, wanting to do something but needing his approval, only to find Tezuka staring straight ahead, jaw clenched and face blank of all emotion. Obviously he was used to this. And that was all Fuji needed to get serious. He turned on Tezuka's family with an icy glare. He had thought they had been bad yesterday when he had come to visit all by himself. It was one thing to be rude to the boyfriend. It was a whole other thing to be this mean to their own flesh and blood. He had been hoping they toned it down somewhat when their son was actually in their presence. Apparently not.

"And _you_," Kazutaka continued, turning back to Fuji with a glare. "You did this to him. Before you he was _normal_. He was going somewhere. He was a son to be proud of. Now he's _nothing_."

"I can tell you, Tezuka-_san_," Fuji began icily, the sign of respect mocking, "That—

"Fuji," Tezuka interrupted before he could get going, coming back to life to glare at him.

But this didn't stop Fuji. Eyes open and glaring at the whole Tezuka family, Fuji got serious, his voice low and dangerous as he threatened, "If I hear you people say one more word like the ones this man has been spewing, you will wish I had just killed you."

"_Fuji_," Tezuka said again, this time more urgently.

"Yes, _son_," Kazutaka said mockingly, trying hard to pretend like Fuji's threats hadn't gotten to him. The boy looked serious. "Get your little bottom in line." He scoffed and looked away. "At least you aren't the uke. That's one relief."

Fuji nearly trembled he was so angry. "Look, _sir_, I—

"This was a bad idea," Tezuka cut in before Fuji could say anything else. "Fuji," he said, turning to the other boy sternly, "Let's go." He turned to his father and bowed. "I'm sorry, father," and then to his mother and grandparents. "Mother. Grandmother. Grandfather. If I had known he would do this I wouldn't have brought him here," turning back to Fuji and glaring as he said this.

"What?" Fuji snapped, glaring back at him. "You can't actually—

"_Yes_. I can," Tezuka cut in with another glare, knowing what Fuji was going to say. "And I think that it's about time that we were _going._" Tezuka grabbed Fuji by the arm and started to drag him out of his house ignoring his father's derisive snort at their behavior.

"What was _that_?" Tezuka snapped, turning on Fuji the minute they got out of the house.

"What do you mean what was that?" Fuji asked, looking at Tezuka in disbelief, "Did you not hear what he was calling you?"

"I heard perfectly well. But that doesn't mean that you can just—

"He called you a limp-wristed faggot!" Fuji exclaimed. "A butt-pirate!"

"And?" Tezuka snapped impatiently.

"And?" Fuji echoed, staring up at Tezuka, unable to believe what he was hearing, "_And?_ What do you mean '_and_'?"

"I mean exactly that," Tezuka said, "What does it matter what he calls me? They're just names."

Fuji still couldn't believe this. "He's your _father_! He shouldn't be—

"Exactly. He's my father. And it's not for you to say what he should and should not do."

"He's your _father_," Fuji repeated, still unable to get over the fact. "And the rest of them weren't that great either. They weren't even helping! If I had known—

"Which is exactly why you didn't know," Tezuka interrupted, glaring down at him, "I didn't tell you for a reason."

"Well, _somebody_ had to do _something_. If that's _normal_ for you then— Fuji cut himself off, unable to say more, and looked away, eyes open and glaring.

But Tezuka was more than angry himself. "Would it have been so hard to just stay quiet and let him rant for ten minutes? That was all you had to take. I listen to him for hours. You only had to listen to him for ten _minutes_."

"Nobody should have to take it at all," Fuji said, turning back to Tezuka seriously.

"He's my _father_," Tezuka said stonily. And that was that. Tezuka turned away with a scowl, calming himself down, then turned back to Fuji, who was still steaming. "Go home," he commanded.

"What?" Fuji turned to him and blinked, looking confused.

"Go home," Tezuka repeated, glaring at him, and then turned and walked back in his house. He had some damage control to do.

* * *

Inui watched as Tezuka and Fuji left the clubhouse, leaving him and Kaidoh alone. Those two gone, Inui turned to watch Kaidoh, who was tying his shoes, feeling almost nervous.

Kaidoh ignored him. Kaidoh had been ignoring him all day. He'd listened when Inui had something to say about his tennis game—he wasn't about to throw out good advice—but Inui didn't really have all that much to _say_ about Kaidoh's tennis game so for the most part he had just been ignored.

Turning away, Inui looked down at his feet and sighed, leaning his head against his locker.

What he wouldn't give to have everything back to normal, with Kaidoh speaking to him and them not broken up. But there wasn't much he could do but go forward. He needed to think up a new plan, but nothing was coming to mind. What _could_ he do when Kaidoh was so stubborn?

His eyes inexorably drawn to the other boy, Inui found himself watching Kaidoh again, almost sadly. In the background he thought he heard music playing and inwardly he cursed.

Great. Now he would embarrass himself again and Kaidoh would care less. Maybe if Kaidoh cared it wouldn't be so bad, but he didn't.

Inui tried to stop himself but still the words came. _"Maybe I didn't treat you quite as good as I should have," _he sang softly, watching Kaidoh with sad eyes,_ "Maybe I didn't love you quite as often as I could have." _Seeming to realize that Inui was singing to him, Kaidoh looked up and over at him with a frown_. "Little things I should've said and done," _Inui continued,_ "I just never took the tiiii-ii-iiime. You were always on my mind. You were always on my mind."_

Inui straightened from his lean and turned to the other boy, walking closer, but he still stood out of Kaidoh's arms reach, regarding Kaidoh seriously.

"_Maybe I didn't hold you all those lonely, lonely times," _he sang, watching Kaidoh watch him, _"And I guess I never told yoooou I'm so happy that you're miii-ine. If I made you feel second best, boy I'm so sorry I was blind. You were always on my mind. You were always on my mind."_

Kaidoh stood from the bench he sat on and backed up a few steps but Inui still came closer, singing, "_Teeeee-eee-eell me. Tell me that you sweet love hasn't diiiiiieeeeed."_ Inui continued coming even closer, _"Giiiiiiiii-iiive me. Give me one more chance to keep you satisfii-ed," _Inui slowed, pausing for a breath before continuing softly,_ "satisfieeed." _By now he was almost standing right in front of Kaidoh and Kaidoh stared up at him defiantly._ "Little things I should've said and done," _Inui sang sadly,_ "I just never took the tiii-ime. You were always on my mind. You were always on my miiiiiii-iiiii-iiiiii-iii-iiind." _Inui paused for a long moment, reaching out to cup Kaidoh's cheek as he finished softly,_ "You were always on my mind."(1)_

The two were silent for a long moment, Kaidoh just staring up at Inui. And Inui could feel hope beginning to rise at this reaction, but it quickly died when Kaidoh stepped back with a shake of his head.

"Inui-senpai," Kaidoh said, looking at him with a glare. "You really need to stop." And then he grabbed his bag and left.

Watching him go, Inui's heart broke for a second time.

* * *

Eiji and Oishi finally stopped running when they had reached the park. Hands on their knees, they leaned over and tried to regain their breath from their mad sprint.

Eiji regained his voice first. "So . . ." he said, between panting for breath. "You had something to tell me?" He didn't look nearly as nervous as he had before, thinking he knew what Oishi was going to say.

"Yeah . . ." Oishi said, sill regaining his breath. "Um . . . I just wanted to say that . . ." he took another deep breath, "well . . . you know . . . that, um . . ."

Starting to grin again, his breath regained, Eiji decided to be nice and say it for him. "That you think it's okay if we get together?"

"Um . . ." Oishi blushed and stood up straight again, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah . . . kinda . . ."

"Yeah!" Eiji cheered and threw his arms around Oishi in a celebratory hug.

"Eiji!" Oishi protested, but let his arms wrap around the other boy in return. After a long moment of just enjoying Eiji close to him, Oishi finally pushed him away. They were still in a public place, after all. "But we have to go slow, remember?" he reminded him, looking Eiji in the eye.

"Right. Slow." Eiji paused for a moment then blinked and asked, "How slow?"

"I don't know. Just slow."

"How about I let _you_ be the one to make all the moves?" Eiji offered.

Oishi looked unsure about this idea. "I don't know . . ."

But Eiji liked it and bounced in place. "No. It's a great idea! You be the one to make all the moves. Yeah!"

But Oishi still looked unsure. "I'm just not so sure I can do something like that."

"Why not?" Eiji asked, calming down a little and blinking at him. "It'll be at your own pace. What's the problem?"

"Just . . . What if my own pace is too slow? We'll never get anywhere. I wouldn't have even said okay this quickly if you hadn't been thinking of giving up."

Eiji blinked again, now looking confused. "Giving up?"

It sounded like Eiji didn't know what he was talking about. Oishi frowned. "Yeah. Giving up. Fuji told me what you said."

Eiji, if anything, looked even more confused. "But I didn't say anything."

Oishi blinked. "You didn't?"

"No. Fuji told you I was giving up?"

"Yeah," Oishi said, still frowning, and then started to recount what he had been told. "He said you thought I was lying when I said I loved you and that you were getting tired of waiting for me."

Eiji looked wide-eyed. "I didn't think you were lying! And I was frustrated but that didn't mean I was going to give _up_. I was gonna give you some space for a little while and let you come around by yourself."

Oishi blinked again, surprised by this. "You were?"

"Yeah!" Eiji said, nodding. "I mean, it's not like I'm gonna force you into anything. That'd just be weird."

"But . . ." Oishi looked away, letting this work its way through his mind. This meant he hadn't had to make a decision after all! It was strangely relieving to know that Eiji hadn't been about to give up that easily.

Realizing what this might mean for Oishi's decision Eiji started to look a little worried. "But you're still okay with it, right? I mean, you're not gonna go back on what you said, are you?"

Oishi turned back to him, surprised. "No!" he said a little loudly, but then quieter and in a much calmer voice, he said, "No. No, I'm not."

Eiji started to smile excitedly again. He couldn't believe this! He was so happy. "Yeah!" Eiji bounced happily. "Oh, this is great!" He dove in for another hug.

"Eiji!" Oishi protested, but let him hug him anyway.

Eiji grinned and stepped back, but kept his arms around Oishi's neck. "You're my boyfriend now. I can do that all I want."

Oishi blushed and looked down. "Not like you didn't before anyways," he mumbled. Then, looking up and knowing they were still in public; Oishi gently extricated himself from Eiji's grasp, but still held onto Eiji's hands and smiled softly at the other boy. "And now that we're boyfriends, do you want to do anything?"

"Let's go eat!" Eiji immediately cheered. "I'm starving!"

Oishi chuckled softly. "Burgers it is."

"Hey," Eiji said as they turned to walk away, "Do you think we'll see Momo and Ochibi there? We can tell them you finally said yes!"

"We'll see."

* * *

The talk that had taken place in the burger shop had reawakened some hope for Momo. Maybe he might really have a chance. Maybe Ryoma might actually say yes. But it seemed like Ryoma was unsure of a lot of things and that needed to be taken care of.

The two of them were planning on going to the street tennis courts, but Momo kind of thought that maybe they should just go somewhere private and have a real talk. He wasn't really good at talking—action was more his thing—but he thought that maybe he should give it a try just this once. It seemed to work for other people just fine. Maybe it could work for them. But how to convince Ryoma of this?

"Hey, Echizen?" Momo finally said after a moment of silence, looking up from watching his feet and over at his friend. After their talk in the burger shop the two of them had tried to go back to their normal routine of snarking at each other but they were having a little trouble getting off the ground. There was this heavy weight between them that both of them felt but neither of them would acknowledge. Momo was trying to fix that.

Ryoma turned to him indifferently.

"You think . . ." Clearly nervous, Momo looked down at his feet and then back at Ryoma. How should he say this? "You think maybe we could just go somewhere and talk?" Yeah that sounded good.

Ryoma frowned, obviously somewhat confused. "What for?"

"I dunno . . ." Momo shrugged helplessly, "I just thought it might help."

"Help with what?"

Feeling that Ryoma should already know what he was talking about, Momo held back on some of his irritation and shot Ryoma a significant look. "You know. To decide." And if Ryoma asked 'Decide what?" in that same blank voice of his then Momo really would growl.

"But what would we talk about?" Ryoma asked, still looking a little confused. Like talking things out was some strange and foreign custom that he just didn't get.

"I dunno," Momo said, because he really didn't know. He was just winging it here. "Things. Maybe about why you're so nervous about this. Or about what's stopping you from saying okay. Things like that."

"Do we really need to?" Ryoma sounded like he'd rather do anything but.

Looking thoughtful, Momo turned to Ryoma and nodded. "Yeah. I think we do."

Much put upon, Ryoma sighed heavily, but finally said, "Fine. Whatever," and then turned and started walking in the direction of the park. Momo followed behind.

It didn't take them too long to get there and when they got there Ryoma led the way into the deeper areas of the park and settled himself down under a tree. He waited until Momo was seated next to him before saying, "Okay, we're here. Talk."

Momo shot him a look. "You have to talk too, you know. It's not just me."

"It was your idea."

"But you're the one who has the problem."

"I don't have a problem," Ryoma said, giving Momo a dirty look for the accusation, "You're the one who's so hung up on this."

"And you're the one who's so freaked out."

"I'm not freaked out," Ryoma denied.

"Then what are you?"

"I'm nothing. I'm perfectly calm."

Settling back more comfortably against the tree, Momo snorted. "Bullshit. You're freaked and you know it. Just admit it so we can get on with this."

Ryoma stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest and looked away. "Maybe I don't want to get on with this."

"Oh come _on_," Momo said, looking over at him in exasperation. "Why not?"

"Because it's stupid."

"It's not stupid. It's useful."

"How is it useful?" Ryoma asked, turning back to Momo with a frown. Because he really didn't see how it was.

"Well, you know . . ." Momo looked away and blinked at thin air. He didn't know either. He just knew that it worked for other people. "It'll help you decide," he finally said, turning back to Ryoma.

Ryoma tilted his head to the side as he said nonchalantly, "Maybe I've already decided."

"What?!" Momo shot up, staring wide-eyed at his younger friend. "Have you?!" he asked excitedly.

"No," Ryoma said, smirking.

Disappointed, Momo fell back against the tree. "Ugh," he groaned, throwing an arm over his eyes. "Don't _do_ things like that."

Ryoma snickered. "You should've seen the look on your face."

Momo removed the arm from his face to glare at Ryoma. "Not cool, Echizen. Not cool at all."

Ryoma didn't really care though and shrugged his shoulders, still with that smirk on his face.

Seeing this, Momo looked even more irritated. "Why does it seem like I'm the only one who cares about this whole relationship thing?"

"Maybe because you are?" Ryoma suggested as though it should be obvious, raising a fine brow at Momo. "I was perfectly fine with just staying friends."

"Well, of course, _you _were," Momo replied, giving Ryoma an annoyed look, "You're asexual."

And that was the second time that Momo had called him that. Was he really that bad? Ryoma was starting to get irritated too and frowned. "Well, if I'm so asexual then why are you in love with me?"

"Hell, if I know," Momo said irritably, "It would certainly be a lot easier to be in love with someone else."

What? Was Ryoma high-maintenance or something? A little hurt by the comment, Ryoma scowled. "Then go ahead," he said, throwing a hand out in a wide gesture, "Go find Tachibana's little sister or something and stop bothering me."

Not liking that comment very much, Momo scowled in return. "Yeah, you'd like that, huh? Me leaving you alone so you could obsess over tennis some more."

"Like you don't obsess over it just as much."

"I at least do other things too," Momo said, pointing to himself indignantly, "I don't just do tennis."

"Neither do I!" Ryoma protested. "I hang out with you, don't I?"

Momo looked insulted. "Oh, I like that. You make it sound like hanging out with me is some sort of chore."

Ryoma blinked, confused by how his words could be twisted so much. "I didn't say that!"

"Yes, you did!" Momo was suddenly sure he had the answer. "And that must be why you're dragging this decision-thing out for so long! You hate me and just don't want to say it!"

At this, Ryoma looked irritated. "Idiot. I don't—

"See!" Momo exclaimed, pointing at Ryoma as though that had proved everything.

"Stupid!" Ryoma said louder, getting frustrated, "I don't hate you! If I hated you you'd know it!"

But Momo was stubborn. "Well, I know it _now_!"

"I don't hate you!" Ryoma repeated.

"Prove it!" Momo ordered, glaring at Ryoma and just daring him to prove Momo right.

Annoyed, Ryoma snapped, "_Fine!_"

"_Fine!_" Momo returned.

"_I'll show you!"_

"_Then do it!"_

"_I will!"_

Caught in the moment, Ryoma did the only thing he could think of that would prove he didn't hate Momo. He grabbed Momo by the front of his shirt, yanked him forward, and soundly kissed him.

Not expecting this, Momo froze, eyes wide open in shock, just letting Ryoma do all the work, but then, realizing what was happening, he enthusiastically closed his eyes and began to kiss back. Both getting really into it, they fell back onto the ground and just kept going. Settling between Ryoma's legs, Momo introduced his tongue to the mix and the two proceeded to swap spit, thoroughly lost in the moment. .

"Mmmm . . ." Momo moaned in the back of his throat, his mouth occupied with other things.

"Uh," Ryoma agreed, coming up for air for a second before Momo grabbed him, reconnecting their mouths for another invasive kiss, letting his tongue explore Ryoma's mouth.

But Ryoma was starting to come around. There was something wrong with this. What was it though? It seemed so right.

Finally Momo released Ryoma's mouth, moving to pepper open-mouthed kisses down Ryoma's neck. Ryoma tilted his head up to allow Momo more room, his breathing heavy. Momo sucked at his neck, seeming determined to leave a mark then went back to kissing Ryoma breathless.

Another few minutes of lost in the moment.

"Mmm . . ." Ryoma said into the kiss. "I've gotta . . ." Momo didn't let him finish the thought, reconnecting their mouths once more and deepening the kiss. But Ryoma had to do something. What was it?

"This is . . ." Ryoma murmured.

"Shh . . ." Momo said, wanting to get back to the kissing.

"No," Ryoma said more clearly and started to pull away. "No, I need to stop."

"What are you talking about?" Momo asked, trying to keep Ryoma close.

"I can't do this," Ryoma said urgently, pushing Momo away harder. "Let me go."

"But—

"Let me go!" Ryoma said, sounding almost panicked, and shoved Momo off of him.

"Hey!" Momo protested and then looked at Ryoma, who was hurriedly standing and wiping at his mouth. "What's your problem?"

"I . . ." Ryoma actually looked scared and, noticing this, Momo started to look concerned.

"Hey," Momo said, starting to stand up. "Hey, are you alright?" he asked, reaching out for Ryoma. Ryoma quickly took a step back.

"I've . . . I've gotta go," Ryoma said then grabbed his tennis bag, turned, and fled, nearly running out of the park and away from Momo.

Still concerned, Momo frowned in confusion. What was that all about?

* * *

Ryoma went to the street tennis courts. He always went there when he was upset. They had a calming effect on him.

And this time was no different. He got to the courts and everything started to seem okay again. He felt a little embarrassed for having run away like that, but what could he do? He'd admittedly freaked out. He just hadn't exactly expected to start making out with his best friend, his best _male _friend, in the middle of the park.

Thinking back on the experience, Ryoma wondered what had been going through his mind. Why had he kissed Momo like that? He hadn't _planned_ on it. It had just happened.

He guessed it was safe to say that yes, he did feel something for Momo other than friendship. That little experience had made that more than clear. But did he want to actually do anything about it? There still was the chance that they would break-up somewhere down the road and not be able to stay friends. Plus, he still didn't exactly know how a relationship would affect the rest of his life. Would it hurt his tennis? What would his father think? Did that really matter?

Dropping his tennis bag on the ground and slumping down on an empty bench, Ryoma sighed and looked up to watch the game currently being played. Now what was he going to do? He couldn't just leave it alone anymore. He had to make a decision.

Ryoma sat there on that bench until it got dark. People came and went, playing games and finishing them, until finally everyone had gone home. It wasn't a busy day for tennis apparently. Ryoma didn't really care about that though. He was just glad he was finally alone.

He'd done some serious thinking that day. More than he was honestly comfortable with. But he had made a decision. He would give a relationship with Momo a chance. He wasn't a coward and a little thing like the uncertainty of change wasn't going to keep him from trying something new. His father would just have to deal with the fact that his son was dating another boy. Ryoma was actually sort of looking forward to the look on his face when he found out. Not that he was going to find out any time soon. Ryoma was willing to date Momo but he thought he might like it if they kept it quiet for the moment. They didn't need to shove the relationship in anybody's face.

Starting to feel better now that he had a decision made, Ryoma thought about going to find Momo immediately to tell him, but then thought better of it. Maybe he'd wait until tomorrow. And that was when he started to hear the music. A soft piano medley.

"Shit," Ryoma cursed—he'd really been starting to think that the singing was over—and that was all he could say before he was singing, _"Doing everything that I belieeeve in," _he sang softly against his will, _"going by the rules that I've been taaaa-aa-aaught. No understandiiing of what's around meeeee and protected from the walls of love."_ Hearing that, Ryoma had to agree. He'd been oblivious to love and romantic relationships his whole life. Now he was going to try and start one and it was a big change.

"_All thaaat you see is meee," _he sang, putting his hands over his heart._ "And all I trulyyy believe that I was born to try. I've learned to loooove, be understandiiiiing and believe in liiiife. But you've gotta make choiceeeeees, be wrong or right. Sometimes you've gotta sacrifice the things you liii-ii-iike. But I was born to try."_

So there was the chance that he and Momo could break-up and no longer be friends. Was that any reason to not try something new? No.

"_No point in talking about what should've been," _he sang softly,_ "No regretting the things that went oo-oo-ooo-oooon. Life's full of mistakes, destinies and faa-aates. Remove the clouds, look at the bigger piiiiicture. No-oo." _

The bigger picture was that Momo loved him and Ryoma might just love him back. And if he didn't then at least he wasn't that far off from loving him for sure.

"_And all that you see is meeee," _putting his hands over his heart again,_ "And all I trulyyyy believe that I was born to try. I've learned to loooove, be understaaa-a-aaanding and believe in liiife. But you've gotta make choices, be wrong or right. Sometimes you've gotta sacrifice the things you lii-ii-iike. But I was born to try."_

Ryoma had never considered himself a coward. This was his chance to prove that to himself. From what he'd heard from other people, this relationship-thing sounded like it could be really scary. He'd have to actually trust Momo.

"_All that you seeeee is me and all I truly believe. All that you see is meeeeeee and all I trulyyyyyyyy belieee-ee-eeve that I was born to try. I've learned to love, be understandiiiiiing and believe in liiii-iii-ii-ii-iiife." _

But Ryoma did trust Momo. And now he'd have to actually show that. Could he do it? Ryoma thought that maybe he could. He might as well give it a try, at least.

"_But you've gotta make choiceeeeeees, be wrong or right," _he continued to sing,_ "Sometimes you've gotta sacrifice the things you lii-iiiiiiiike. But I was boo-oorn to tryyyy-eyy-eyyy-ohh-oh. But you've gotta make choices, be wrong or right. Sometimes you've gotta sacrifice the things you li-iiike. I was born to tryyyy."(2) _Ryoma's song slowly came to a close and he first looked around to make sure no one had seen him or heard him singing, making sure to check up above along the wall as well, but then he sat back, the barest hint of a smile touching his lips. He actually felt pretty good.

* * *

(1) "Always On My Mind" by Elvis Presley

(2) "Born To Try" by Delta Goodrem


	12. The Loose Ends

Firstly thanks to speadee and Paffu who reviewed. And I actually thought this was going to be the last chapter but then I thought that it would sound a lot better if I made it into two. So here you go, the second to last chapter.

* * *

-

Chapter #10: The Loose Ends

-

After saying good-bye to Oishi on the front-porch—no kissing yet. Oishi wasn't quite _that _comfortable—Eiji rushed into his house and up to his room, dropping his tennis bag and backpack on his bed and frantically searching through them for his cell phone. He had to tell Fuji the good news!

Finally he found the phone and he immediately began dialing Fuji's number by memory. The phone began to ring. And ring. And ring. And finally the answering machine picked up. As the familiar recorded message played in his ear, Eiji plopped down on his bed, still grinning excitedly, not brought down in the least by the fact that Fuji wasn't picking up.

The message finally finished and he heard the tone—his cue to start talking.

"Fuji! Fuji!" he said excitedly, "It worked! Your plan actually worked! It's so cool! Call me back when you—

He was interrupted by Fuji picking up the phone. "Eiji?"

"Fuji!" Eiji exclaimed, grin widening if possible and bouncing on the bed. "Guess what?! Guess what?!"

Fuji gave a soft chuckle, but it sounded almost forced. "I take it your talk with Oishi went well?"

"It actually worked!" Eiji exclaimed, too excited at the moment to notice that Fuji wasn't as happy as he was. "What you said to him actually worked! He thought things out and said okay! Isn't that great?"

"That's wonderful." Eiji could hear the smile in Fuji's voice, but this time he also noticed just how tired and faking it Fuji sounded. Eiji frowned, beginning to settle down with the knowledge that things may be great for him but they might not be for Fuji. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh yes," Fuji said and Eiji could still hear that smile as Fuji tried to wave his concern off, "Kunimitsu and I just had a little fight, that's all."

"Over what?" Eiji asked, starting to become concerned. Fuji and Tezuka fought a lot, but when they did it was always over something stupid like some plan that Fuji had decided to put into action, not ever over anything serious that would make Fuji act all sad like he was now.

"Nothing," Fuji tried, "Just a little difference in opinion over something stupid."

But Eiji wasn't an idiot and he knew his best friend. "No. No, you wouldn't sound like that if it was over something stupid. It was big. What was it?"

Fuji chuckled again, but this time he didn't even try to hide the tiredness. "I guess I can't fool you."

Fuji probably could easily, but Eiji didn't think he wanted to just then. He probably wanted to talk and just wouldn't admit to it so he was unconsciously trying to get someone else to force him to talk instead. But Eiji would let him have his delusions.

"No," Eiji said almost smugly "You can't. So you'd better start talking. What happened?"

There was a pause as Fuji seemed to collect his thoughts. Then: "You remember how you told me that Kunimitsu's family mistreats him because of his relationship with me?"

Oh. It was about that. Eiji started to have a bad feeling about this. "Yeah?" he replied almost hesitantly, remembering his part in the whole situation.

"Well, I went over to his house when he was out the other day and had a little "talk" with them."

Eiji was starting to see where this was headed. "You didn't," fell from his lips, even though Eiji knew that of course Fuji did.

Fuji ignored him and continued. "Well, you can imagine how unhappy Kunimitsu was with me when he found out. He actually forced me to cancel my plans for today and come over to his house again to apologize in person.

"It didn't go well?" Eji guessed.

"You should've _heard_ his father," Fuji said in answer, sounding disgusted. "The bastard is absolutely disgusting."

Eiji wasn't really sure he wanted to know but he had to ask, "What did he do?"

"It was more the _words_ he used than anything else. He actually called his own son a 'limp-wristed faggot'. Can you believe that?" Fui sounded outraged at the mere thought.

Eiji looked astounded. "He called Tezuka-buchou that?" The thought of Tezuka as one of those limp-wristed stereo-typical gays with the shopping and the lisp was actually mind-boggling. And Eiji had the sudden image of a Tezuka wearing designer clothes, one hand on his hip and the other lying limp in the air.

"Oh, darling, that dress is absolutely _fab-u-lous," _the Tezuka in his mind said in a rather stereotypical camp voice, letting his limp hand flop in the other person's direction._ "_It's _fierce_. You _must_ tell me where you got it."

The image was sudden and loud. And knowing that this definitely wasn't the time or place or person, Eiji desperately tried not to laugh, not succeeding as a giggle or two escaped his choke-hold and he finally burst into loud laughter, falling all over himself.

"Eiji!" Fuji said, not sounding amused. "This isn't funny."

"Oh no. No," Eiji said, trying to get himself back under control. "I just . . . I just got this _picture_ and . . ." unable to finish, he dissolved into laughter again.

"Eiji," Fuji said again, starting to sound angry, which was bad.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Eiji apologized, getting himself under control again. "I just . . ." he bit back on another chuckle and only continued when he could make himself sound serious again, "Never mind," he said seriously, sitting up, "I'm sorry. That's awful. I can't believe his dad actually said that."

There was a pause as Fuji was deciding if he was still going to be angry. Then Fuji said, "And the worst part is that nobody tried to stop it. They just let the bastard spew insult after insult." Fuji sounded almost appeased, but Eiji knew that he wouldn't forget this for a long while. Eiji had better start watching out for incriminating photos pasted on the school bulletin boards. Great. Sometimes it was hazardous to be Fuji's best friend. Still, Fuji continued. "And then Kunimitsu actually got _angry_ with me when I tried to stand up for him."

That didn't sound right. Eiji frowned. "He got angry?"

"Yes," Fuji confirmed, sounding almost indignant about the fact. "He was actually angry."

"But . . . Why?" Eiji looked confused. "If you were trying to stand up for him shouldn't he be happy?"

"You'd think so."

Yeah, you would think so. "Huh," was all Eiji finally said. The two of them were quiet for a moment, Fuji most likely stewing in his indignation and Eiji trying to think up something to say that would help his friend. It was weird. Eiji normally was the one receiving advice not the one giving it. "Well . . ." Eiji finally said after a long while, finding something to offer, "I guess you could always apologize again."

"But that's the thing," Fuji said. "I shouldn't _have _to apologize."

"Well you don't always have to _understand_ why you're apologizing," Eiji said, "Sometimes you just do it because the other person wants you to. Even if you _still_ think that what you did was the right thing."

"I suppose." Fuji did sound like he understood which was good. "But what really bothers me is that I had to cancel my plans just so Kunimitsu could get angrier with me."

And, somewhat grateful to get on a less volatile topic, Eiji sat back against his pillows, switching the phone to his other ear, and asked, "What were you going to do?"

"I can't tell you that," Fuji said, "But I can tell you that it would have made sure Momo and Echizen were making like rabbits by the time school started again and it promised that Inui and Kaidoh would be back together for good."

Catching that last part, Eiji looked confused again. Did that mean what he thought it meant? "Inui and Kaidoh broke up?" Why didn't he know about this? Had he really been that distracted the past few days that he hadn't notice something that huge happening?

"They _were_ rather discrete about it, weren't they?" Fuji said, managing to get over enough of his anger to sound almost amused.

"How come _you_ got to know and nobody else did?" Eiji asked with a frown, somewhat insulted that he hadn't been trusted to know.

"Simple. I asked. It wasn't a secret. They just weren't broadcasting it."

"Oh, okay," Eiji said easily and smiled again, no longer insulted. "But they're really broken up?" he asked curiously, "I didn't think those two even fought. Their relationship seemed so perfect."

"Well you know what they say about appearances."

"True."

* * *

The next afternoon, Kaidoh was jogging past the park when he decided to take a ten minute break. Finding a good tree to sit under, Kaidoh sat. And as he sat he couldn't help but think. Everything was making him think, so he wasn't exactly surprised by this.

Inui's song yesterday had affected Kaidoh more than he cared to admit. It had been exactly what he wanted to hear.

And, thinking that and finding himself annoyed, Kaidoh sighed deeply and leaned further back against the tree, closing his eyes and attempting to block out his thoughts and just enjoy the peace. But no luck. He still thought.

This singing thing was still bothering him, hounding him, distracting him from his training. He'd thought that once he had broken up with Inui everything would go back to normal, the only thing different being the fact that Inui wasn't there. Especially since he hadn't sang anything since that day. But no luck. It still bothered him just as much, if not more. Especially since Inui had decided he was going to drink the juice and start singing as well.

Why did he have to do that? Couldn't he have just left things alone? Couldn't he make things easy on Kaidoh for _once_ in his life?

Thinking that, Kaidoh opened his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest and scowling off to the side. No. Inui enjoyed making things difficult for him. Just look at his juices and that was all the proof you needed to prove Inui's sadistic tendencies.

Kaidoh did have to admit though that this time it might not totally be Inui's fault. Well, okay, it _was_ his fault—he _had_ been the one to actually make the juice—but Kaidoh doubted Inui had meant it to be this sadistic. The few times that Kaidoh had been able to bear glancing at the older boy, Inui had been looking almost sad. Which hurt to see. Everything about Inui hurt to see. Kaidoh wished everyday that he hadn't had to break up with Inui, but he never regretted it. He knew it had been the best decision.

Well, he _had_ known.

These new songs of Inui's, the ones that told him that Inui still loved him and wanted to try again (which hurt to think about), Kaidoh almost believed them. He _wanted_ to believe them. He knew that the songs sang the truth, but still, maybe Inui only thought he would try better and wouldn't actually do anything different. How could Kaidoh trust him? So far, Inui hadn't done anything to prove that getting back together would be any different than the first time.

Well, okay, it _had_ been somewhat impressive that Inui had bothered to drink the juice at all. Kaidoh couldn't imagine _willingly_ putting yourself through the embarrassment that the juice brought. You had to be either insane or desperate to do that. And Kaidoh wasn't sure which one Inui was. Maybe he was both.

But, still, it had been impressive. That, at the very least, was proof that Inui was willing to try anything to _prove_ to Kaidoh that he was telling the truth. That he really would try better.

So Kaidoh knew that _Inui_ believed he would try better. But Kaidoh just wasn't sure. And if he _was_ sure then he wasn't sure he would take Inui back anyway. It was a pride thing.

But should he really give up a chance for happiness just because of his pride? That seemed somewhat stupid and Kaidoh Kaoru wasn't stupid.

Scowl softening into a contemplative frown, arms still crossed, Kaidoh looked down at his lap. He didn't know what to do. He wished somebody could help him decide, but who would help _him_? It wasn't like he could just go up to somebody and ask point-blank. That would be weird and uncomfortable. Plus nobody but the Regulars even knew about Inui and his relationship. And, Kaidoh wasn't sure, but he didn't think that even the Regulars knew that the relationship was over. Fuji _had_ been giving him these weird, almost speculative looks, almost like he was planning something, but that was _Fuji_. When _wasn't_ he planning something?

"Kaidoh!" someone called, "Kaidoh! Hi!" Somewhat confused—because who could it be?—Kaidoh looked up and around his surroundings curiously. A ways down the path that the tree he sat under lined, Eiji was grinning widely and waving a hand wildly in the air. "Hi!" he called again and then seemed to decide to come closer. When he was almost in front of Kaidoh, Eiji crouched down into a squat and grinned at him, asking, "What'cha doing?"

"Hello, Kikumaru-senpai," Kaidoh said dutifully. "I'm just resting for a moment."

"You looked like you were in deep thought," Eiji said, looking just a little too amused, "What'cha thinking about?"

"Nothing, senpai," Kaidoh said and shook his head, not wanting to be rude but wanting Eiji to leave him alone.

"Oh, come on. It can't be nothing. You looked really serious. Was it about Inui?" Eiji asked that last question with an almost mischievous look on his face.

Hearing this, Kaidoh's eyes widened and he blushed. "Senpai!"

"It was!" Eiji said triumphantly, pointing at his blushing face and grinning. "I knew it!" Abruptly, Eiji sat down, crossing his legs in front of him and leaning in closer to continue in almost a gossiping tone. "I heard you two broke up. Is that true?"

"Senpai! I – I don't think—

"Oh come on," Eiji said, still grinning widely at him, "You can tell me."

Kaidoh was so embarrassed. He didn't know what to say and he could feel his face heating up. "I . . . I – Yes?"

"But _why_?" Eiji demanded to know, looking curious. "You guys were so good together."

"It just . . . It just wasn't . . ." Kaidoh said haltingly, staring at Eiji with wide eyes, unable to believe he was actually saying it even as he said it, "meant to be," he finished lamely.

"Was the sex really that bad?" Eiji asked bluntly, looking like he genuinely wanted to know.

Kaidoh choked, staring at Eiji, his eyes going even wider if that was possible. He couldn't believe this was happening. "Senpai!" he finally got out.

"What?" Eiji asked, blinking almost innocently. "It must've been something. And it's not like you guys ever fought or anything."

At that Kaidoh crossed his arms over his chest again and looked away. He could feel himself still blushing madly, but some control was finally breaking through. "Every couple fights," he said uncomfortably.

"No, really?" Eiji asked, looking surprised. "You guys fought? About what?"

"Kikumaru-senpai," Kaidoh began uncomfortably, still looking away, "I really don't think—

"I'm sorry if I'm being nosy but I'm just worried about you, that's all," Eiji interrupted him to say. "Fuji told me you guys broke up and I was all 'What?" and he was all 'Yeah' and then I was like 'No! Not them!' and Fuji was like 'Yeah. Them" and I was all 'Why?' And Fuji couldn't answer that so I figured I could ask you 'cause I figured you'd know." Eiji looked at him curiously. "You _do_ know, right?"

"Yeah . . ." Kaidoh said, shifting his weight uncomfortably. "I know."

"Then what is it?"

Kaidoh warred with himself. This was incredibly nosy of Eiji, almost too nosy, but it also answered Kaidoh's prayers. He had someone older to talk to that could tell him what to do and he didn't have to go search them out. He finally decided to compromise and said something without saying anything at all. "Things just . . . weren't working out."

"But you still love him, right?" Eiji asked point-blank.

Kaidoh turned back to Eiji, eyes wide. He couldn't believe Eiji would actually ask him that. And he thought the sex question was personal. "Senpai!"

But that seemed to give Eiji his answer and, sitting back, Eiji smiled. "I knew it. You do." Frowning in consideration, Eiji tapped his chin thoughtfully. "So how do we get you guys back together then?"

Kaidoh scowled. "I don't _want_ to get back together with him." Ignoring the part of him that said otherwise.

Eiji turned back to him, looking adorably confused. "No? But why not? You love him. And if you love someone you should be together with them. At least if you can, I mean

Uncomfortable, Kaidoh looked down and to the side again as he said, "Things just wouldn't work out."

"So there would be some difficulties." Eiji waved that off as nothing, "That's just when you have to fight!" Eiji put a fist in the air with genuine enthusiasm, saying fiercely. "You can't give up! Never surrender!"

Somewhat confused by Eiji's enthusiasm on the topic, Kaidoh simply looked at him. His senpai were weird.

Eiji turned back to him, still hyped up. "You don't want to give up without at least _trying_, do you?"

Frowning, Kaidoh shook his head. "I already tried. It didn't work."

"So?" Eiji asked as though this meant nothing. "Why don't you try again? You have to at least give it one more chance. You guys were so good together."

It obviously showed on Kaidoh's face that he was still hesitant to do anything. And that, of course, was when the music, a slow piano melody, began to play in their ears.

Shit, Kaidoh thought, his eyes growing wider as he looked around for the source he knew he wouldn't find.

"Kaidoh." Eiji seemed to all of a sudden get very gentle and he smiled softly, reaching out to put a hand on Kaidoh's shoulder. Kaidoh just looked at him, somewhat thankful that it seemed like Eiji would be the one to start singing and not him.

"_I know there's something in the wake of your smile," _Eiji began softly and slowly,_ "I get a notion from the look in your eyeees. Ye-ah. You built a love but that love falls apart. A little piece of heaven turns to daaaaark._" Still smiling that almost freaky gentle smile, Ejii pointed at Kaidoh's chest, "_Listen to your heeeart_ _when he's calling for you. Listen to your heeeart. There's nothing else you can do. I don't know where you're going and I don't know why, but listen to your heart befooore you tell him good-byyyyyyye."_

Starting to blush, unable to believe his senpai was actually singing something this mushy to him, Kaidoh looked frantically up and down the path, making sure nobody was around. Thankfully, it was a quiet day for the park and nobody was there. Still . . . that didn't mean that nobody would come. Kaidoh turned back to his senpai, who was still smiling softly and gently and looking at him with a kind look in his eyes. It was weird.

"_Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile,"_ Eiji sang softly and slowly, removing the hand from Kaidoh's shoulder. "_The precious moments are all lost in the tide. Ye-ah. They're swept away and nothing is what it seems. The feeling of belonging to your dreeeeeeee-eeee-ee-ee-eeeams. Listen to your heart when he's calling for you," _pointing at his chest again,_ "Listen to your heart. There's nothing else you can do. I don't know where you're going and I don't know why, but listen to your heart befoooore you tell him good-byyyyyyye."_

Still nervous that someone was going to come see Eiji singing, Kaidoh stared at his senpai in worry, but still listened to the song. Listen to his heart? What kind of advice was that?

"_And there are voices that want to be heeee-eee-eee-eeard," _Eiji sang, getting louder._ "So much to mention but you can't find the woo-oooo-ooords. The scent of magic, the beauty that's beeeen, when love was wilder than the wii-iiind," _Looking back at Kaidoh, Eiji pointed at his chest one more time._ "Listen to your heart when he's calling for you. Listen to your heee-aart. There's nothing else you can do. I don't know where you're going and I don't know why, but listen to your heart before you tell him good-byyyyyyyyyye. Listen to your hee-aart. Mmmm-mmm." _Settling back in his seat, Eiji smiled,_ "I don't know where you're goooing and I don't know why, but listen to your heeaaart befooooore" _the music paused and slowed even further_ "you tell him good-byyyy-yyye."(1)_

There was a pause as Eiji came out of the song. Looking somewhat embarrassed, he looked around to make sure he didn't have an audience this time, then turned back to Kaidoh and smiled almost self-consciously. "Sorry.

Still staring at him, more than weirded out by the gentleness from his normally hyper senpai, Kaidoh could only say, "It's okay."

"But at least this time it I sang good advice," Eiji said happily, determined to find a positive for bursting out into song in the middle of the park.

"'_Listen to your heart'_?" Kaidoh quoted, looking confused. "How is that good advice?"

"Well, it's what you should do, isn't it? I mean, only you can really tell if you love Inui enough to try to fight for it." Sitting back, Eiji shrugged. "It's really all about wanting to."

Wanting to? Kaidoh looked down, letting that thought run through his mind.

"And I guess I should probably stop bugging you before I get even cheesier," Eiji said, smiling again as he pushed himself up onto his feet. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Eiji said, waving back at him as he left.

Kaidoh was still stuck on what Eiji had said. Listen to his heart? How did a person listen to their heart exactly?

Still . . . He guessed he could try it.

* * *

Ryoma frowned, looking around the empty tennis courts. He had called Momo earlier, telling the older boy to come meet him at the street tennis courts, but Momo was nowhere to be seen. Idiot.

"Echizen!" someone called and Ryoma turned to find Momo running up to him. The older boy stopping when he was in front of Ryoma and bent down, panting for breath, hands on his knees.

At this, Ryoma raised a brow and smirked, but before he could open his mouth and say anything, Momo looked up with a glare. "Don't," Momo said between fighting to regain his breath. "Don't say a word."

Somewhat amused, Ryoma's smirk widened. "I wasn't going to say anything."

Momo didn't dignify that with a response, just glaring at him. Until finally, with a final deep breath, Momo was ready. "Okay. I'm ready." Momo stood up straight, nodding his head at Ryoma. "But first," he said, holding up a hand and then narrowing his eyes at Ryoma in concern. "Are you okay?"

Ryoma gave him a look as though he were stupid to ask. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Momo looked like he didn't want to remind Ryoma of a traumatic event, saying carefully, "Well, you kinda ran off yesterday looking kind of freaked."

"I'm fine."

"Okay, good," Momo said, nodding again before looking at Ryoma curiously. "But then why'd you run off like that? I didn't follow yesterday 'cause I figured you'd want some space but now I'm curious."

"Then stay curious," Ryoma said blandly. He wasn't going to tell Momo anything when even he didn't know himself. Why _had_ he run off like that?

Momo looked disappointed. "Oh come _on_, man. Give me a break."

Ryoma crossed his arms over his chest and gave Momo a narrow look. "That isn't why I asked you to come out here."

"I know," Momo said, suddenly looking very serious. "Did you decide?" he asked then shot Ryoma an uncertain look. "That _is_ why you dragged me out here, right?"

Ryoma nodded.

"And?" Momo asked, looking nervous.

Putting his hands behind his back, Ryoma rocked back and forth on his heels and looked up at the sky to hide his smirk, purposely dragging out the moment to make Momo sweat.

"Well?" Momo asked, starting to sound impatient.

Another few moments of dragging out the tension as Ryoma rocked on his feet and looked off to the side to hide a smirk, hands behind his back.

"Echizen, come on. Stop torturing me already. I know you're doing it on purpose"

Ryoma finally turned back to Momo and, managing to sound bored with the whole thing, shrugged and said, "Okay."

There was a pause before Momo blinked. "What? That's it?"

Ryoma looked at him like he was an idiot. "Do you want more?"

"No!" Momo cried. "I just . . . with the way you kept dragging things out I just thought it would be a little harder than that."

"Well, it's not."

"Okay. Good."

For a moment Momo and Ryoma just stood there and blinked at each other. Finally Ryoma had to ask, "So what do we do now?"

Momo blinked again, looking at a loss. "I don't know. I honestly never thought you'd say okay."

"Oh." There was another pause, the two just looking at each other, until finally Ryoma asked, "Then do you want to play tennis?"

Not having a better idea, Momo shrugged, now glad he had decided to bring his tennis bag. "Sure. Why the hell not?"

* * *

Later, after Ryoma had beaten Momo 5-1 on the tennis courts, they were walking home, ripping at each other good-naturedly.

Ryoma looked back at his now-boyfriend and smirked. "Momo-senpai just has no stamina."

Momo frowned and glared at the younger boy. "I'll show you stamina. I'll show you stamina all night long." Then, actually hearing what he had just said, Momo abruptly blushed and put a hand over his mouth, unable to believe he had honestly just said that.

Thank God Ryoma was as dense as he was and obviously didn't know what he meant. "What does that even _mean_?" Ryoma asked, narrowing his eyes and looking at Momo in disdainful confusion. "Momo-senpai doesn't make sense."

Still embarrassed—Because honestly. How could he have said that?—Momo said nothing, carefully looking away and up at the night sky. "It's pretty tonight," he said as a way to get off the subject.

Ryoma snorted and shook his head, seeing it for what it was. A distraction.

Finally they got to Ryoma's house and they stood on the doorstep, looking at each other awkwardly. This was it. They'd been acting basically the same the whole night, not doing anything to confirm their new status as boyfriends, so if anything was going to change it would probably be now. And Momo would probably have to make the first move as Ryoma was just looking up at him curiously.

"So . . ." Momo began and rocked on his feet, looking away uncomfortably.

"I'm home," Ryoma said, watching Momo curiously, wondering why Momo was still there. What was he waiting for?

"Yeah," Momo said, scratching the back of his head nervously. There was a moment of silence, Momo busy staring at the ground, but then Momo turned back to Ryoma, suddenly serious. "Hey, Echizen."

Confused by the sudden seriousness, Ryoma blinked. "Yeah?"

"You . . ." Momo looked down at his feet before glancing back up at Ryoma nervously. "You really meant it?"

Ryoma blinked again, wondering which part Momo meant. "That I love you?"

At this, Momo's head shot up, eyes wide. "You love—he cut himself off before he even got started, saying, "You mean— You never— Momo's grin got so wide it must've hurt his face and he was finally able to spit out., "You love me?"

Ryoma shrugged and looked away, uncomfortable with how happy that had made Momo. "Maybe."

Momo grin, if anything, got bigger. "I'll take that as a yes."

Ryoma looked up to give the older boy a mild glare. "Don't let it get to your head."

"Who? Me?" Momo asked almost innocently, unable to lose the grin. "I'd never."

Ryoma wasn't impressed and he looked it. "I mean it."

Momo ignored him, too happy to care. "No. No. This is great," Momo said excitedly. "I mean, I never thought— Oh this is _so_ cool." Not even thinking about it, too hyped up to care, he grabbed Ryoma and pulled him into a tight hug, nearly lifting him off his feet.

"Momo-senpai!" Ryoma protested, struggling in his hold.

Grinning, Momo pulled back but still kept Ryoma in his arms. "Don't you see? This is great!" he repeated.

"That doesn't mean you can attack me," Ryoma grumbled, but was otherwise okay where he was. It was actually kind of nice, but he wouldn't admit to it.

Momo just smiled at his complaints. "You really have no idea how great this is. It feels like I've been in love with you for forever."

Somewhat embarrassed with the declaration, Ryoma ducked his head. A few seconds passed before, daring to move closer, Ryoma hesitantly brought his hands up to wrap around Momo's waist in return and rested his head against Momo's chest. Momo's arms tightened around him in response. And there was silence for a moment, the two just enjoying the moment.

In the background Ryoma thought he could hear soft music beginning to play and he would've been embarrassed and pulled away but he found he couldn't move.

"Do you hear that?" Ryoma asked instead, face still buried in Momo's chest.

Looking down at him, Momo's smile had turned into something gentle. Not responding, Momo instead began to sing. "_Never knew I could feel like this," _he sang softly and slowly,_ "like I've never seen the sky before._" He pulled away from Ryoma just enough that he could see his face. "_Want to furnish inside your kiss. Everyday I love you more and more. Listen to my heeeeeeart," _Grabbing Ryoma hands from around his waist, Momo pulled them over his heart, "_can't you heeeeeear it sing? Telling me to giiiiive you everythiiiiiing. Seasons may change winter to spring," _he paused, making sure Ryoma was paying attention,_ "but I love you," _another pause as he slowed down, _"until the end of time." _Taking Ryoma's hands again, he held them in front of him and looked into Ryoma's eyes, singing louder,_ "Come what maaaaaaaay, cooooome what maaaaaaaaaay. I will love you until my dyyyyyy-yyy-yyying daaaaaaaaaaaay."_ Singing that last long note, Momo quieted and just looked at Ryoma, who was taking his turn to sing.

"_Suddenly the world seems such a peeeerfect place," _Ryoma sang, looking up at Momo, _"Suddenly it moves with such a peeeerfect grace."_

"_Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waa-aaste," _they sang together.

Ryoma picked up the song again and sang alone,_ "It all revolves around you."_

"_And there's no mountain too hi-igh," _they sang together again._ "no riiiiiver too wiiiide. Sing out this song and I'll be theeeeere by your si-ide. Storm clouds may gatheeer and storms may collide." _They paused for a moment then Momo started again.

"_But I love you," _Momo sang.

"_I love you," _Ryoma sang in reply.

"_Until the end," _Momo sang.

"_Until the end," _Ryoma sang alone, but then joined together with Momo again to sing,_ "of time." _They took a breath and then sang louder, music reaching a climax._ "Coooome one daaaaaay. Cooome what maaaaaay. I will love yoooou until my dyyyyying daaaay. Oh coooome what maaaaaaay, coo-oooome what maa-aa-aaa-aaay, I will looooooooooooooooove you."_

"_I will love you," _Ryoma sang, voice getting quieter as the music slowed, and then he continued,_ "Suddenly the world seems such a peeeerfect place."_

The music picked up again and they sang together._ "Come what maaaaaay. Come what maaaaaay. I will love yoooou until my dyyyyyyyyyying daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay."(2)_

Coming out of the song Ryoma looked somewhat embarrassed but didn't move out of Momo's arms until he heard the cry from the house.

"Seishounen!" his dad called, the only warning before the door suddenly opened wide and Nanjiroh grinned down at them. "Are you singing again?"

Ryoma quickly stepped back out of Momo's arms, hoping his dad hadn't seen, and glared. "No."

"No, no, I know I heard singing."

"You must be going senile," Ryoma growled, embarrassed, and moved to push past his dad. Looking back at Momo on the step, Ryoma paused then said with somewhat of a half-smile, "I'll see you tomorrow, Momo-senpai."

"Sure!" Momo grinned and waved once as Ryoma disappeared into the house before turning and getting on his way, more than happy with how things had gone.

* * *

The next day at school, Kaidoh entered the building with a decision made. Now the only thing he had to do was corner Inui in a private place and tell him the news. Kaidoh didn't _think_ he was too late. Inui still wanted to get back together with him, didn't he?

"Inui-senpai."

Interrupted in the process of changing into his practice clothes, Inui turned to blink somewhat startled eyes at Kaidoh. He hadn't anticipated that Kaidoh would ever talk to him outside of tennis again. "Kaidoh?"

"I want to talk to you later," Kaidoh said seriously. "At lunch. Meet me in classroom 3B."

This could not be good, Inui thought with a frown but still nodded and said, "Very well."

And Kaidoh nodded and went back to changing his clothes.

Later, in classroom 3B, Kaidoh crossed his arms over his chest and waited for Inui to arrive. Finally Inui came through the door.

"So what did you wish to speak to me about?" Inui asked.

Kaidoh said nothing, just watching him carefully. Was he sure about this? Was this his final answer? He couldn't go back and change his mind once he had spoken.

"Kaidoh?" Inui asked, looking at him in concern, wondering why he hadn't spoken.

"You say you would do better," Kaidoh started.

"And I would,' Inui said seriously, apparently understanding what Kaidoh meant.

Kaidoh just looked at Inui, expression not changing as he asked, "Then do you want to try?"

There was a pause as Inui let that run through his mind. Was Kaidoh saying what Inui thought he was saying? No. He just wanted Kaidoh to be saying that.

When Inui didn't react, Kaidoh, a little less confident, continued, "If you still want to, I'm willing to try again."

So Kaidoh _was_ saying what Inui thought he was saying. Inui almost dared to hope. But he had to make sure. The chance of this happening was only a mere 23 percent, after all. "Are you certain?"

His expression serious, Kaidoh nodded. "But things would change," he warned.

Inui felt himself beginning to smile. "That is perfectly acceptable."

Kaidoh hissed and looked down to cover a smile, not so unaffected by the happiness beginning to invade the room. Now, hopefully he had made the right choice.

Of course, just to ruin the happy moment, music then had to begin to play. Kaidoh hissed again, this time in irritation, and looked around. It was a happy beat and they were alone, but that didn't make things any better.

"_I got chiiiiiills," _Inui sang suddenly with an exaggerated shudder,_ "Their multiplying and I'm looooooosing contro-ool. 'Cause the pow-er you're supplying—it's electrifying." _

"_You better shape up," _Kaidoh sang, feeling the juice begin to take over his body and narrowing his eyes at Inui,_ "'cause I need a maaan and my heart is set on yoo-ou."_

"_And my heart is set on you," _sang nobody. The voices were back again.

"_You better shape up," _Kaidoh continued,_ "You better understaa-a-aaand. To my heart I must be truuuue," _he sang,putting his hand to his heart.

"_Nothing left," _Inui sang,_ "nothing left for me to do."_

"_You're the one that I want," _they sang together, beginning to circle each other in the small classroom.

"_The one that I want," _the voices sang.

"_Oh-oh-oh honey," _they continued,_ "The one that I want."_

"_The one that I want," _the voices sang.

"_Oh-oh-oh honey," _Inui and Kaidoh sang again,_ "The one that I want."_

"_The one that I want," _the voices came again.

"_Oh-oh-oh. The one I neeeeeed."_

"_The one I need."_

"_Oh yes, indeee-eeed."_

"_If you feeeeel a weird affection," _Kaidoh sang, getting closer with an almost predatory look in his eye,_ "you're too shyyyyyy to conve-ey. Meditaaaate in my direction." _He curled his finger at Inui invitingly, _"Feel your way._

"_I better shape up," _Inui sang, suddenly upbeat,_ "'cause you need a man."_

"_I need a man," _Kaidoh agreed,_ "who can keep me satisfiii-iied._

"_I better shape u-up," _Inui continued,_ "if I'm gonna prove."_

"_You better pro-ove," _Kaidoh sang,_ "that my faith is justified."_

"_Are you sure?" _Inui asked, turning to Kaidoh and then continued with Kaidoh's help, "_Yes I'm sure down deep inside. You're the one that I want."_

"_The one that I want," _the voices sang.

"_Oh-oh-oh honey," _Inui and Kaidoh sang together,_ "The one that I want."_

"_The one that I want," _the voices sang.

"_Oh-oh-oh honey," _they sang together again,_ "The one that I want._

"_The one that I want," _came the voices.

"_Oh-oh-oh," _they sang,_ "The one I need."_

"_The one I need."_

"_Oh yes indee-eed."_

Inui and Kaidoh had circled in closer and grabbed each other's hands and began to dance around the room. _"You're the one that I want."_

"_The one that I want," _the voices sang_._

"_Oh-oh-oh honey," _Inui and Kaidoh sang,_ "The one that I want."_

"_The one that I want," _the voices sang.

"_Oh-oh-oh honey," _they sang together,_ "The one that I want."_

"_The one that I want."_

"_Oh-oh-oh," _they sang,_ "The one I neeeeed."_

"_The one I need."_

"_Oh yes indeee-eed."(3)_

And they continued along that vein for some time. Kaidoh was beginning to think that they were stuck when they finally stopped.

Bright red, Kaidoh hurriedly dropped Inui's hands, stepping back one large step, and hissed.

"Well," Inui said as he adjusted his glasses on his nose, a little embarrassed himself. He had been _dancing_. He never danced. He just wasn't coordinated enough and had never cared to learn.

Kaidoh glared at him. "Let's never talk about that again."

"Agreed."

* * *

(1) "Listen to Your Heart" by DHT

(2) "Come What May" from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack

(3) "You Better Shape Up" from the musical Grease


	13. The Final Scene

This is the last chapter

This is the last chapter! I can't believe I actually finished a story. Thanks for all the reviews and for reading it. And because this was so much fun to write I was actually thinking of doing another musical for another fandom. Maybe Yami no Matsuei or CCS. I don't really know. If you're interested or have any preferences, tell me!

And don't worry. I am going to write a sequel for this, but it may take me some time. I have to figure out all the songs first.

--

-

Chapter #13: The Final Scene

-

Now that his issues with Kaidoh had been settled, Inui was able to concentrate his full attention on finding a cure. He and Kaidoh had decided that it would be better if the talk the two of them needed to have was put off until they were sure that they would not be breaking into song in the middle of it. But only if the antidote wasn't long in coming. Which it wasn't.

Inui had been close to an antidote even before they had gotten back together. It didn't take much for him to successfully complete it.

Momo eyed the almost neon green juice he held warily. "And this will fix us?"

"Yes." Inui nodded, pouring out a few cups for Eiji and Ryoma. Kaidoh already had his and was staring into it with the same amount of dubiousness as Momo.

"Are you sure?" Momo asked, looking up at Inui, not meaning to doubt his senpai but not wanting to drink anything Inui had made and not have it work. Or worse, have it double his symptoms with some new horrible thing.

Inui turned to him calmly, not insulted by the question. "There is an almost 73 percent probability that it will work."

"Oh," Momo said and looked back down at his drink. Then he turned to the others. He was damned if he was going to be the first one to try it.

There was a pause as the four originally afflicted members of the Regulars looked at each other, each not wanting to be the first to try the drink.

"I assure you," Inui said when the pause had gone on for too long. "I have already tried it and suffered no additional symptoms. The juice is perfectly safe."

Eiji looked at Inui dubiously but then looked down at his drink. Deciding to trust the other boy for once in his life, Eiji said, "Well okay . . . Here goes," and quickly downed his portion. Taking the cup from his mouth, there were tears in Eiji's eyes as he stared into space and slowly forced himself to swallow the revolting drink. The juice reaching his stomach, Eiji abruptly brought a hand to his mouth and choked on air for a moment, looking like he was about to regurgitate his lunch, then quickly turned and ran off.

"I'm gonna be sick!" they could hear him wail as he ran.

"Eiji!" Oishi cried, looking after him worriedly.

Fuji smiled and eagerly turned back to watch the others' reactions.

As one, the three remaining boys looked at each other. Then they looked down at their drinks. Finally Momo shrugged. "Well if it works . . ." And with that he tossed back his own portion, cup coming down to reveal Momo's face puckering up in disgust and looking like he was forcing back tears. Then he too abruptly turned and fled for the bathroom.

Obviously worried, Oishi watched Momo go.

Fuji's smile got wider.

Tezuka remained stoic.

Ryoma and Kaidoh turned to each other almost in challenge. Then both abruptly tossed back their drinks. Dropping their cups on the ground, they stood, stubbornly refusing to run off before the other though Kaidoh looked like he desperately needed to throw up and Ryoma looked like he was in intense pain, his eyes squeezed shut in concentration

Finally Ryoma swallowed and took a deep breath, and then another, before opening his eyes. He was fine. Seeing this, Kaidoh forced back his own nausea, breathing deeply.

Notebook out, Inui had been taking notes on their behavior and he looked at them somewhat curiously. "Are you alright?"

Still breathing deeply past his nausea, eyes falling closed in concentration, Kaidoh said, "Yes, senpai."

Ryoma grunted what sounded like an agreement.

"Good," Inui said then closed his notebook with a snap. "And I trust that if any of you find that you are still singing you will tell me?"

Ryoma and Kaidoh nodded, Kaidoh saying again, "Yes, senpai."

"Good," Inui said again then nodded at Tezuka, indicating that he could take over from here.

Tezuka nodded and took control of the situation. "Everyone to the clubhouse," he ordered, "Practice is over."

--

"I haven't sang anything all day!" Eiji said, smiling excitedly as he bounced around Oishi while they were walking to lunch.

"Does that mean it's over?" Oishi asked, looking curious. "I mean, you've gone days without singing before, haven't you? I remember it took you a while to start singing in the first place."

"Yeah, but I really think it's done this time! I can feel it! Now that it's gone, I can tell. I was feeling a little off the entire week last week. It was so little I barely even noticed it before, but it was there!"

"And it's gone?"

"Yeah!"

Oishi smiled. "Well, that's a relief."

"I know," Eiji said, smile, if anything, growing wider, "No more singing!" he cheered. "And I even got a B on my English test. This day is going great!" Then he turned to Oishi eagerly. "We should get ice cream after school."

"Don't you have a big history test tomorrow?" Oishi asked, looking at him in obvious amusement, "I remember you complaining about it for almost an entire lunch period last week."

Eiji waved that off as nothing. "Bah. I'll do fine. We need to celebrate!" Then, having a thought, his sudden cheer abruptly evaporated and he frowned.

"What?" Oishi asked, looking concerned by the sudden mood swing.

Eiji turned to him seriously. "Do you think we should invite Buchou and Fuji? Maybe it would help them get over their fight."

Oishi blinked. They had finally gotten outside and were now walking towards their usual bench to eat lunch. "They had a fight?" he asked. He had noticed that Tezuka had been a little colder than he usually would be towards Fuji that morning, but he hadn't had the time to ask why.

"Yeah," Eiji said, nodding his head, "Fuji told me last night. He apparently went over to Tezuka-buchou's house the other day and got really mad at Buchou's family. I think he may have said some things and now Buchou is angry with him."

"Did Fuji say why he got mad?"

"Buchou's family apparently said some not very nice things and you know how Fuji is when people he cares about are hurt." They had gotten to their usual bench and Eiji set his lunch down on the table before sitting down himself.

"Maybe I should go talk to Tezuka alone," Oishi said, hesitating before sitting down across from Eiji, looking concerned about this whole Tezuka-Fuji situation. "Get his side of the story."

"And get him talking to Fuji again."

"Of course."

--

"I just don't see why you're so angry about this," Fuji said, following behind Tezuka as the two made their way to lunch.

Tezuka grit his teeth, not wanting to deal with Fuji right then. "You _threatened_ my _family_," he said coldly.

"And I'm sorry I did it," Fuji said, almost sounding believable, "I won't do it again."

"Of course not. You won't ever _see_ them again."

"Good," Fuji said, suddenly smiling, "Then we can pretend it never happened."

Tezuka shot him a glare out of the corner of his eye "No."

It was taking Fuji some energy to keep the smile on his face now. "And why not?"

"I ask you to do _one_ thing," Tezuka said, going back to looking straight ahead, "A simple thing. And you can't do it."

Now Fuji frowned, his eyes opening for a brief moment as he said coldly, "Then I apologize for caring."

They walked on in silence after that.

--

Seated in an empty classroom away from prying eyes, Inui and Kaidoh ate their lunches in companionable silence. Finishing up first, Inui sat and waited for Kaidoh to finish. Finally he did.

"Would now be an appropriate time for that talk?" Inui asked, looking at Kaidoh curiously.

Kaidoh frowned. "We _should_ get it out of the way."

"Alright," Inui said then got out his notebook, opening it to one of the back pages. He looked up at Kaidoh in readiness, pen poised to write.

Kaidoh frowned again, looking confused. "What's that for?"

"For my notes."

"You're taking _notes_?" Kaidoh asked, a touch of incredulity there.

Inui just nodded calmly. "Of course."

Kaidoh just looked at him for another moment then seemed to shrug and just let it go. "Then I guess I should start." He paused, looking unsure how to continue.

"How about you begin with what you don't like," Inui suggested, seeing him struggling, "With what you would like me to change."

"Right." Kaidoh nodded then paused again as he got his thoughts in order. "Well I don't like it when you spend days and days in your lab making your juice or gathering data on other players."

Inui looked up from his notebook with a frown. "But that is necessary."

"I know and you can do it all you want." Inui's frown turned confused so Kaidoh tried to explain. "I'm not going to force you to do stop doing the things you like or need to do. I just want you to take breaks or something." Kaidoh looked at him with what would be a pleading look on anyone else's face. "Come have dinner with me and my family once and awhile."

Inui still frowned but he eventually nodded. That was acceptable. "Very well." He jotted this down in his notebook.

"And I want you to stop breaking our dates," Kaidoh ordered with narrow eyes as he started to get into the conversation, "Things come up. I know that. But I'm only going to let you have so many times when you need to stay and watch your juice so that it doesn't boil over before I get angry."

Inui nodded and quickly wrote this down as item number two.

"And stop treating me like I'm only your tennis partner," Kaidoh said sharply, "We used to do things outside of tennis, remember?"

And so things went. It was a long lunch period.

--

Finished with his lunch, Momo put his hands behind his head and leaned back against the tree he and Ryoma sat under. Next to him, Ryoma poked at his lunch with a chopstick uncertainly. Nanako had recently been going through an experimental phase and you never really knew what you were going to get. Friday's lunch had been really good, but today it was a strange wasabi and squid combination that just, well, sucked.

"Want this?" Ryoma finally asked, offering his lunch to Momo.

Rearing back from the meal, Momo shook his head, looking disgusted. "You should give it to Fuji-senpai," he said. "He actually likes that wasabi stuff."

Ryoma made a noncommittal sound and went back to poking at the meal. There was another comfortable silence.

Finally the silence was broken by Momo. "Hey, I was thinking."

"Did it hurt?" Ryoma asked blandly.

Momo gave him a look but otherwise ignored him. "We're together now, right?""

"Mm," Ryoma said unenthusiastically, more interested in the interesting color his food was turning as it cooled than the conversation. Momo decided to take that as a yes.

"So we should go on a date," Momo continued, undaunted. He looked over at the younger boy. "Where do you want to go?"

Ryoma finally looked up at him with a bored expression. "Does it really matter?"

"Of course it does," Momo said, "It's a first date. This'll set the standard for all other dates."

Ryoma shrugged and went back to his meal. "Then surprise me."

"But that's too hard," Momo said, a faint trace of whine in his voice, "Can't you just tell me so I can get it right?"

"Tennis," Ryoma said, eyeing him flatly.

Momo groaned, hands going down to his sides. "That's what you _always_ want to do. Be a little more creative. It's a first date."

"But I told you what I wanted. Tennis."

"But don't you want to do something different? We always play tennis. It won't be very date-like unless we do something different."

"I don't care," Ryoma said, remaining stubborn, "I like tennis and we always play it. Why do things have to change?"

"Because . . ." Momo trailed off, unsure of how to answer that. "Because they just do, okay? How else would we know things are different?"

"The fact that I'll let you kiss me could be a good sign," Ryoma said, bored. "Do you really need more then that?"

Momo looked at him for a moment then looked down at his lap with a frown. "I guess not."

Ryoma was glad that was settled. "Good." Closing his bento, he put it to the side and leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes. Settling against Momo, using the older boy's shoulder as a pillow, Ryoma ordered, "Wake me up when lunch is over."

"Yeah. Yeah," Momo grumbled, shifting so he was more comfortable. Looked like he wouldn't be moving for a while.

--

Later, after school, Oishi walked out of Tezuka's house with a frown. That hadn't gone well.

He'd come by his friend's house after going out for ice cream with Eiji, determined to help him, but he might have done more harm than good.

Still . . . He had to call Eiji to tell him how things went. Reaching into his bag, he fished out his cell phone and pressed speed dial 1 as he continued to walk.

"Hello?" Eiji answered.

"Eiji," Oishi said.

"Oishi!" Eiji exclaimed, happy to hear from him. "How'd things go?"

"Not good," Oishi said, remembering it with a frown. "He's really mad."

"Really?" Eiji asked, sounding as though he somehow found it hard to believe. "What did Fuji _do_?"

Oishi shrugged. "He said some things. Threatened them a bit. Basic Fuji stuff, really."

"Well I just got a call from Fuji and now _he's_ mad. Him and Tezuka-buchou had another fight at lunch and now Fuji doesn't want to apologize anymore."

'That's not good."

"You're telling me. What are we gonna _do_? I'm not Fuji. I'm not good at this planning and manipulation stuff."

"I have no idea," Oishi admitted. "Maybe we should just give them some time. I'm sure once they cool off things will be fine."

"You really think so?" Eiji asked, sounding like he needed reassurance.

"Yes," Oishi said, but then rethought that. "No." He rethought again. "Maybe. I really don't know. They're both really stubborn people. And you wouldn't think so but Tezuka can hold a grudge for a _long_ time."

Eiji sighed. "So can Fuji."

They were silent for a moment, each trying to think up something to help their friends.

Finally Eiji spoke. "Well this just _sucks_."

--

The End.


End file.
